Trouble
by Pepin-Bones
Summary: Orihime struggles to come to terms with her feelings for a certain substitute soul reaper, completely unaware that the same substitute soul reaper is also struggling to come to terms with his feelings for a certain auburn-haired healer. Ichihime. Ichigo x Orihime.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Update 1/6/18: I recently realized a mistake in season with the dance now being in February (joys of flying by the seat of your pants) so that has been addressed for those of you that may have noticed… Sorry! I also made a few other very minor edits in_ _preparation for the next chapter!_

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Orihime Inoue was in trouble. Not the 'Oh my gosh, I need help! Someone please save me!' kind of trouble, but the 'Oh my gosh, what am I thinking? What's wrong with me? Why can't I get these thoughts out of my head? Does anyone notice what I'm thinking?' kind of trouble. The kind of trouble that made her even clumsier than she already was and made her forget how to talk at times. She found herself blushing more than ever before and she had to remind herself how to do simple every day things like breathe and walk without tripping over her own feet. Her heart pounded and fluttered as though she suffered from some terrible arrhythmia and sometimes she thought she might just actually faint, or scream, or both – maybe even at the same time. There was only one cause for all of this – a certain substitute soul reaper by the name of Ichigo Kurosaki.

They were friends, friends who shared mutual friends, friends who also shared a secret of powers from several of their other friends. They were friends who had been in battle together, fought together, bled together. He had held her while she cried more than once, and she had healed him from terrible wounds numerous times. He had protected her, had saved her in more ways than one, on several occasions, and never wanted a thank you in return – in fact he got angry when she thanked him.

Oh, she was in trouble all right, and as she looked up from the math problems in front of her and at the sleeping form of said soul reaper before her, she couldn't help but smile. They were in her living room, studying for an upcoming math test that they were both remarkably unprepared for thanks to their numerous missed days of school. While their study session had originally been comprised of Ichigo, Sado, Uryu, and herself, the other two had left well over an hour ago after cramming out over four hours worth of studying. Ichigo had stayed behind – he had missed the most out of everyone and Orihime understood the material better than anyone else. At first Ichigo had resisted her insistence that he stay, but when she pointed out the obvious – that he _needed_ her help in order to pass – he had quickly agreed.

So now they were alone… _He would never think it appropriate to be alone with me in my room, but for some reason it's fine in my apartment. How is it any different when I live alone?_ She blushed at her own thoughts, but they kept going anyway. _It's so rare that we're ever alone together anyway,_ she thought belatedly, crinkling her forehead in thought as she tapped her cheek with the end of her pencil and chewed on her lower lip. She sat cross-legged on the floor, her back resting against her couch, while he was sprawled across the floor on his stomach, his head cradled in his hand; or at least he had started out that way. They had scarcely been at it for an additional thirty minutes before she noticed the drooping of his eyes, the slowing of his breathing, and once he rested his chin on his book, she knew his battle was lost.

It's not like she could blame him. She was sensitive to spiritual pressure, his especially, and she felt his flare up at all times of the day or night, and could sense when he was fighting. Hollows seemed to prefer coming out at night, which meant he was up at all hours battling them only to turn around and have to show up at school not long after. She'd caught him falling asleep in class more than once. "Oh, Kurosaki-kun," she breathed, her heart aching for his plight. She would offer to help him, had numerous times in fact, but he had refused unless she already happened to be there. Even then, he was reluctant. _"Inoue, I won't have you putting yourself in harm's way for me,"_ he would argue, which was his not-so-polite way of saying no – hell no. Rukia-chan and Abarai-san helped when they were in town, but sometimes it was as though the increased number of soul reapers only brought more trouble with them, although she would never say such a thing. Sado-kun sometimes went on patrol with him, and although she would never admit it (she knew he could handle himself), she felt better when Ichigo wasn't alone.

Her hands fell to her lap, her book forgotten, as she watched the slow and steady rise of his shoulders as he slept. She wasn't sure how he was comfortable, but he looked completely at peace – even his signature scowl was gone and replaced with a look of pure and simple ease. Seeing him without the crease between his brows and the tense set to his shoulders was surprising, but it only left her wanting to see it more often. _I want to make his frown go away,_ she thought before slapping her cheeks. _Stop it! You can't keep thinking that way! Kurosaki-kun is your_ friend _! Your_ friend _! F-R-I-E-N-D!_ A dejected sigh escaped her lips as she dropped her head back against the couch, her eyes sliding to the ceiling before falling on the clock above her fireplace. It was late, but not _that_ late. Regardless, if Ichigo was sleeping, they weren't getting any studying done, and she didn't want him to be sore from sleeping on the floor.

Disappointed, Orihime quietly gathered her things, fighting the frustration bubbling within her chest. _I finally got the chance to be alone with him and he fell asleep…_ It wasn't like her to feel this way. She wasn't the one to get upset so easily! She was the one to always smile, always laugh; to put on a brave face even when she felt like crying. She wasn't supposed to be sad. But ever since she admitted to Tatsuki that she was jealous of Rukia-chan's relationship with Ichigo, she found it harder and harder to ignore these darker feelings that lurked beneath the surface. The best she could do was to push past them.

Once she put away her books, Orihime stopped, one hand on her knee as she brushed her hair behind her ear. While she wanted to spend as much time with Ichigo as possible, she didn't want him sleeping on the floor all night. _What if he's too tired to walk home?_ Her cheeks immediately flamed and she slapped her hands to them once more when she thought, _Oh my gosh, that would mean he would be staying the night!_ She shook her head side to side, her palms still pressing into her burning cheeks as her heart started racing in her chest. _Stop it, Orihime! He's not going to be doing that!_ Her mind made up, she swallowed dryly and suddenly had to clear her throat before she could speak. "K-Kurosaki-kun?" Her voice came out scarcely above a whisper.

No response, so she tried again. "Kurosaki-kun?" she tried again, her voice stronger. Still nothing. Now she extended her hand to his shoulder, witnessing her trembling fingers and relieved he wasn't awake to see them. "K-Kurosaki-kun?" she asked once more, poking his shoulder. Nothing.

Exasperated, Orihime let out her breath in a huff, her bangs fluttering against her forehead. Poking his shoulder had been like poking a rock but he had not so much as stirred. Swallowing again to steel her nerves, she grasped his shoulder and shook him gently. "Kurosaki-kun!" she whisper-shouted in his ear.

"Huh?! Wha-?" he cried, his eyes flying open as he immediately threw himself back into a sitting position, leaning forward onto his hands. "42!" he shouted, thinking he had fallen asleep in class and been called on by the teacher.

Although she immediately fell back with a squeak at his sudden outburst, Orihime brought her hand to her mouth to cover her laugh at his exclamation. When his eyes searched the room suspiciously for a moment before landing on her, she continued to giggle around her hand. "Oh, Kurosaki-kun!"

"Damn it," he muttered, pulling his hand down his face before pushing it back through his hair. His cheeks darkened at Orihime's continued giggling. "Did I fall asleep?"

Not able to stop laughing, Orihime nodded.

His eyes moving to the clock above the fireplace before dropping back to the open book in front of him, Ichigo swallowed. "I'm sorry, Inoue. We didn't get much done, did we?"

Orihime waved him off. "There's no need to apologize, Kurosaki-kun. We got a lot done with the others. You need your rest too or nothing will stick." She pointed to her head to indicate that she was talking about the information.

His chocolate brown eyes gazed into her gray ones. Her cheeks held a pleasant dusting of pink while her eyes sparkled with such sweetness and innocence he almost couldn't help but want to _squeeze_ her. But _that_ wasn't going to happen. "I suppose you're right," he admitted, quickly pulling his eyes from hers to look at the floor. When she said nothing, he moved to gather his things. "Thank you for all of your help, Inoue."

A true smile lit up her face as Orihime helped gather his last few belongings. "Of course! It's the least I can do after all Kurosaki-kun has done for me!"

Ichigo scarcely suppressed a gasp when he looked at her, smiling up at him with more pink in her cheeks again. She was holding a book out to him, and when he took it, their fingers touched, brushing against each other's for just the briefest of moments, but for long enough that their eyes widened. Feeling his cheeks warming, Ichigo quickly turned away, putting his books in his bag and closing his eyes as he willed his suddenly wildly beating heart to calm down. "Please tell me you're not going to start with that again, Inoue."

Not sure where her bravery came from, Orihime rose to her feet alongside Ichigo. "I'm not going to let you off that easy," she answered. "I'll pay you back somehow, Kurosaki-kun!" _Oh my gosh, did I just say that?!_ She scarcely managed to suppress the urge to smack her hands to her cheeks again as embarrassment flooded through her at her own words.

Just as surprised at Orihime's words as she was, Ichigo cocked an eyebrow as he looked down at the auburn haired healer. His frown was gone, replaced with a look of sheer surprise, his eyes wider than normal. Orihime found she liked the look almost as much as his look of sheer peace while he was sleeping. She was even more surprised when his look of shock melted into a smile. A _true_ smile. "All right then, I guess I can't argue with that, can I?"

Orihime's heart filled with warmth and quickly overfilled, her chest and stomach filling with pleasant heat that quickly spread out to her limbs. She suddenly felt lighter than air – like she would float away if something wasn't tethering her to the ground. Ichigo _smiled!_ And he smiled _at her!_ She could scarcely remember the last time she had seen him smile, if at all! The realization made her smile even wider, the warmth from the rest of her traveling up her neck and finally reaching her face. "Nope!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together in front of her chest and jumping out of sheer delight.

In that moment, Ichigo decided he really rather liked the overjoyed Orihime he saw in front of him. Granted, it wasn't that different from the usual Orihime, but there was something different about her – like she glowed with a newfound inner light. He had always thought she was beautiful, one of the most beautiful girls in school, _the most_ in his opinion; but that joyous smile and little jump made him feel warm all over and it made that strange smile want to come again. _What the hell?!_ Before she could worm her way any deeper into his thoughts, he turned, that urge to squeeze her back in his mind. "Good night, Inoue."

"Good night, Kurosaki-kun! I'll see you tomorrow!"

He turned back just outside the door, the hint of a smile still tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I'll see you in the morning."

He pulled the door shut before she could respond and Orihime found herself staring at the door with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide. "S-see me in the morning?" she spoke aloud. "What does that mean?" Yes, they would see each other in the morning at school, that was a given, but he didn't say, _'See you at school.'_ He said, _'See you in the morning.'_ Grasping her hands in front of her chest once more, Orihime leapt into the air with a happy squeal. "He's going to walk to me to school tomorrow?!"

 _A/N: I hope you've enjoyed this! It's only my second attempt at an Ichihime FanFic. Hopefully this will turn into something longer, although originally it was planned for just a one shot._

 _I don't know if anyone actually caught the reference, but "42" is in there for a reason! Let me know if you got it! I couldn't resist! Hahaha! Totally not Bleach related though..._

 _The usual disclaimer applies. I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Update 1/6/18: I recently realized a mistake in season with the dance now being in February (joys of flying by the seat of your pants) so that has been addressed for those of you that may have noticed… Sorry! I also made a few other very minor edits in_ _preparation for the next chapter!_

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Orihime had indeed correctly interpreted Ichigo's words, for when she pulled her door open to skip down the steps of her apartment, she found Ichigo making his way toward her apartment. She caught the sight of his spiky orange hair out of the corner of her eye, but didn't want to believe it as she focused on carefully locking her door, her hands suddenly trembling. _Oh my gosh, is he really here?!_ When she turned, dropping her keys into her coat pocket, her face immediately broke into a smile when Ichigo looked up at her from the bottom of the steps.

"Morning, Inoue," he greeted her easily, like they did this every morning – they did, it was just normally at school.

Her smile widened as she skipped down the steps. Orihime felt as though she might burst. _He came!_ "Good morning, Kurosaki-kun!" She scarcely made it halfway down before her nervousness and excitement at seeing him caught up to her and she tripped, her own foot catching her other foot. "Ah!" she cried as she felt herself falling.

"Inoue!" Ichigo's rich voice rang out, harsh in his shock at seeing her suddenly falling.

Bracing herself for a hard impact, Orihime was thoroughly surprised when strong arms suddenly surrounded her. Rather than crash into the stairs, she crashed into the solidness of Ichigo's chest as he caught her, her breath leaving her lungs in an _"Oompf!"_ Not realizing when she had squeezed her eyes shut in the first place, she slowly opened them to find Ichigo's concerned eyes remarkably close to hers. She felt nothing but strength, security, and warmth in his embrace, but their proximity still took her by surprise. Her traitorous heart began its rampant hammering at her ribs once she realized how close they truly were and when she faintly felt his breath graze her cheek, she blinked and shrunk back but couldn't bring herself to break her gaze from his as he slowly stood up.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice deeper and rougher than it usually was.

Not able to trust her voice, Orihime nodded. It was then that she realized her hands were braced easily on his chest, her fingers actually gripping his jacket as though she would fall without holding onto it. Although her first instinct was to pull her hands away, she _really_ didn't want to. For once, she listened to her heart instead of her head and left her hands where they were, although she released the hold she had on his coat. She was rewarded with the feeling of the muscles of his chest moving as he gently set her back on her feet. The sensation made her cheeks grow warm. "T-thank you, Kurosaki-kun," she murmured once she found her voice. As soon as his arms were removed from around her she felt incredibly lonely, which just did not make sense.

His smile returned, but only curled up his lips on one side, and he scratched the back of his neck as he pulled his eyes away from hers. "Ah, you don't need to thank me." It was when his chocolate depths met hers once more that she became aware that one hand remained at her waist. This realization sent a wave of nervous heat through her, starting with the top of her head. She could all but feel her face flushing nervously and swore she was probably glowing red. "You do, however, need to be more careful," he admonished, his eyes completely serious as his smile fell. His arm flexed, pulling her closer without realizing it as his face lowered closer to hers to emphasize his warning.

Her hands still on his chest, Orihime found herself lost in the depths of his eyes before her eyes were no longer on his – they were on his lips. Even though he was trying to scold her, his lips turned down in his typical frown, all she could think about was that crooked smile he had flashed her. _He smiled again!_ To see his usual scowling lips reversed in a smile made her more happy than eating red bean paste. It didn't matter the cause of that smile. _He's so close…_ she breathed in her mind. _And he's still holding onto my waist!_ When she didn't answer him, her tongue tied up with her confused and muddled mind, she witnessed his eyes briefly fall to her lips, which were parted slightly in confusion, before he closed his eyes and took a step back with a sigh.

 _Shit! What the hell was that just now?!_ Ichigo was great at hiding his inner turmoil – he did it so often it was second nature. But Orihime was different. She made things more difficult for him and had for quite some time. He had no idea what prompted him to say he'd pick her up and walk her to school the night before – it just felt natural to say he'd see her in the morning and so he went with it. Then he saw her falling on the stairs and reacted purely on instinct. _But wait, why am I still holding her then?!_ His eyes traveled down the still shocked expression on her face to rest on her perfectly pink lips. _Why am I looking at her lips? Her lips that just… No!_ He had to stop his thoughts before they ran away on him and he had to suppress the urge to throw her away from him and jump back – she would get the wrong idea and surely be hurt. He managed to close his eyes and calmly step back, his hand slipping from her waist with an inward groan of regret from him.

' _Seems like you're in quite the predicament, King."_

' _Now's not a good time!' Fuck, not now!_

Orihime picked up on the subtle flinch the moment Ichigo's hollow started acting up. She'd seen it often enough before, but it still pained her to see him going through such a thing alone. "Kurosaki-kun?" she whispered when he shook his head and closed his eyes.

' _Come on, King! She was holding on to you just as much as you were holding onto her! I don't know what you're so afraid of!'_

' _Damn it, I said not now!'_ Ichigo roared inside his head, loathing the fact that this was happening in front of Orihime.

' _If not now, then when? If you don't make a move, then I will!'_

' _Like hell you will!'_ Ichigo threatened, his hands curling into fists as though he could pummel his own inner hollow.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime repeated, gingerly touching Ichigo's arm to bring his attention from his inner battle.

Ichigo's eyes opened and while they flared with irritation, they were his – no hints of black or gold. "Sorry, Inoue." He turned in the direction of Karakura High. "We better get going or we'll be late."

' _Don't ignore me, King!'_ But that's exactly what Ichigo did.

Orihime smiled, relieved whatever had been going on was over, but still worried that his hollow was still acting up regardless. "Right!"

They walked for some time in silence, Ichigo with one hand stuffed in his pocket, the other hand holding his bag slung over his shoulder. Orihime walked at his side, her own bag slung over one shoulder to rest at her hip, her arms swinging casually. It was a beautiful morning – the sun was out, the birds were chirping, and although it was the beginning of February, the day was not too cold. Ichigo's characteristic scowl was back on his face as he mostly looked at the ground before them while they walked, but Orihime took it upon herself to break the uncomfortable silence. "Kurosaki-kun?"

His eyes immediately met hers. "Yeah?"

"Can I ask you what was going on back at my apartment? That was your hollow, wasn't it?"

Ichigo's scowl deepened and he dropped his eyes. He didn't like lying to Orihime – he never was very good at it, nor did he want to be. "Yes," he admitted after only a moment's pause.

Orihime watched him from the corner of her eye, relieved and slightly surprised he actually opened up to her. "What did he want?"

Rather than answer right away, Ichigo swallowed, his cheeks darkening as he looked away. He had to clear his throat before he could answer. That was something he _couldn't_ tell her. "It's hard to explain," he admitted.

She took that answer for what it was – an evasion – but let it go. _At least he's actually talking to me about it._ "Does he bother you often?" She was sincerely curious and concerned.

Cocking an eyebrow at her, Ichigo was likewise curious about her interest in his hollow. "Not anymore. Why the questions, Inoue?"

Her face scrunched up in a frown. "I just hate to see you suffer," she admitted only somewhat reluctantly. She remembered witnessing him training to control his hollow. His spiritual pressure had felt so dark and violent, it was one of the few times she had actually been afraid of him; but even then she had felt more afraid _for_ him.

Her words entered his ears and spread warmth throughout his body. His heart rate increased, as his palms were suddenly sweaty. _Don't think of that as more than it is. This is Inoue we're talking about. She hates to see anything suffer._ "T-thanks." _What am I supposed to say to that?_ She surprised him even more when she continued.

"You know if you ever need someone to talk to, you can always talk to me, right?" she asked, her voice soft and slightly wavering.

' _Ha! Talk! She wants you to talk to her? I doubt that! Come on, King!'_

' _Damn it! I thought I told you to shut the hell up!' Ichigo growled at his hollow, clenching his hands into fists but successfully hiding any other outward reaction to his hollow's presence._ To Orihime, his brow furrowed as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. _Where is all this coming from?_ "Of course I know that, Inoue. What makes you say that?"

Something dark flashed behind Orihime's eyes, even while he looked in them, and Ichigo swallowed nervously. He had never felt more uncomfortable with her before, and he blamed it on the fact that they were alone. That, and the fact that his damn hollow kept telling him to do things he shouldn't do. Things he wouldn't do. But definitely things he _wanted_ to do.

The darkness in Orihime's eyes didn't disappear as quickly as Ichigo would have expected or liked. She drooped her head as he watched her, but stoically kept walking. "I know I'm not the same as Rukia-chan," she began, her voice nearly breaking at the end. Ichigo couldn't stand it anymore and interrupted her.

"Wait, what does Rukia have to do with anything?" he demanded, his voice harsher than he meant it.

Orihime finally looked up at him, her lips pressed together. "I-it's just," she stuttered, suddenly wishing she had kept her mouth shut. "I know you would probably prefer to talk to her about such things," she blurted, wanting to clap her hands over her cheeks to hide her flaming blush.

Ichigo scoffed, his brow furrowing even more in his confusion. "What? Why would I do that?"

Her mouth falling open, Orihime's eyes grew wide in her surprise. "Y-y-you wouldn't?"

One orange eyebrow rose as Ichigo cocked his head to the side and he looked down at her. "Not necessarily," he answered honestly. Sure, Rukia knew more than any of his friends did about the Soul Society and what it took to be a soul reaper. Yes, she originally spent her nights in his closet when she was in town, but that didn't mean he wanted to tell her everything there was to know about himself. They didn't tell each other everything, nor did they plan to. "Why is that such a surprise?"

 _Does this mean he's not in love with her?!_ She dared to hope but was also afraid to. "I just thought," she began, her voice trailing out when she couldn't figure out how to put her thoughts into words.

They were nearing the school, Ichigo both relieved and disappointed that their lone walk would soon be over, despite the uncomfortable topic of conversation. "You wouldn't be the first to think that," he allayed her fears, "but you would be wrong." He chucked without humor. "Couldn't _be_ more wrong."

"Why?" The word was out of her mouth before she could stop it, and this time Orihime did clamp her hand over her mouth in an attempt to rein in any further disobedient words.

His answer was immediate, which set her heart at ease and made her cheeks warm. Her ears burned pleasantly, and she was thankful that her hair hid them. "I would think it's obvious," he began. _She isn't you,_ he spoke only in his mind. When Orihime said nothing and just looked up at him, expectantly and patiently waiting for his answer, he outwardly explained, "She's loud and obnoxious. She's pushy. She's opinionated. She reminds me of my sisters…" He rolled his eyes. "I could keep going."

Her heart was pounding so fiercely, Orihime wanted to cover her chest with her hand in an attempt to stifle the sound for fear Ichigo would hear it. Relief spread through her with such force she nearly stumbled. "So," she breathed, her mind racing and combating the little blue men for her attention. _Focus, Orihime! You have to keep moving your feet! Keep walking, keep breathing! You have to make it to school!_ "So," she drew out the word, closing her eyes in an effort to garner courage to ask, "you're not in love with Rukia-chan?"

Ichigo stopped, his mouth gaping and his eyes wide in shock. His hands fell to his sides as his face then crinkled as though the idea utterly confused him. "What?!"

' _Oh! This is getting good, King!'_

Orihime stopped and looked back at him, her cheeks flaming, but she couldn't bring herself to ask him again. _Orihime, you're so stupid! I can't believe you asked him that! Just dropped that on him right out of the sky! I'm surprised he's not flat in the middle of the sidewalk right now!_

Ichigo squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his fingers to them as he tried to think. _What?! Orihime thinks I'm in love with Rukia? What the hell is wrong with her?! Who gave her that idea?!_ When he failed to come up with the correct way to tell her no, _hell no_ , Ichigo watched as Orihime brushed her hair back behind her ear, one blue pin sparkling in the morning light. She was looking down, her eyes lidded as she chewed on her lower lip and moved to turn back toward school. "No," he finally answered. He just barely caught the sound of her sucking in her breath as she turned back to face him, light entering her gray eyes once more. "Not at all," he elaborated with a firm shake of his head as he started walking forward once more. He purposely bumped into her arm with his. "Now come on, we're going to be late."

The words were no sooner out of his mouth than the first bell rang, and they had to run in order to make it to class. The entire way, Orihime fought a smile from crossing her lips, ever conscious of Ichigo's long strides beside hers – he was keeping pace easily with her – not rushing ahead and not lagging behind. What she didn't see he was doing, was glaring at anyone who stared at her for any length of time that he deemed inappropriate; which was any longer than a glance given the fact that they were running and she clearly was not dressed for gym and was more than gifted in some areas. The two of them burst into their class just before the second bell, both only slightly winded from their sprint.

"Kurosaki! So nice of you to grace us with your presence today!" their instructor teased from the front of the room as they made their way to their desks. "Inoue, thank you for escorting Kurosaki here this morning and ensuring that he actually _came_ to class for a change."

Orihime gasped, blood rushing to her cheeks as her eyes met Ichigo's. That hint of a smile was playing with his lips again, and she immediately smiled at him, turning to take her seat with a new lightness and warmth in her chest. "Of course!" she answered, earning Ichigo more than a few snickers as he flopped into his seat. He simply rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest as though he couldn't be bothered. All hints of a smile were gone from his face.

As their teacher took roll, Ichigo felt warm all over. _It did seem to bother Orihime that I might have feelings for Rukia…_ He had to resist the urge to shudder at the thought. _Ugh! Who gave her that idea?!_ His eyes slid over to where Orihime sat next to the window without thought from him. She sat like she so typically did – her ankles crossed primly, her elbows resting on her desk as she looked out the window, a far-off distant look in her eye. The morning light caught her hairpins again and they sparkled brilliantly in the light, making her even more radiant than she usually was. Little did she know that he was in just as much trouble as she was. _Orihime…_

 _A/N: I hope you enjoyed this update! I hope to write more soon!  
_ _The usual disclaimer...I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo._


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Update 1/6/18: I recently realized a mistake in season with the dance now being in February (joys of flying by the seat of your pants) so that has been addressed for those of you that may have noticed… Sorry! I also made a few other very minor edits in_ _preparation for the next chapter!_

 _A/N: I feel like I am always apologizing for taking so long to update things, but I am sorry! I had little inspiration for this story for a time and then when I knew what I wanted to do, I didn't have time. But here ya go! I hope to update more frequently than over 2 months from now. Thank you all for the reviews, follows, and favorites. It really means the world to me and is so motivating! It got me to write, review, edit, and post this in ONE day (EEK!)_

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Ichigo Kurosaki was in trouble, all right, and as he sat, trying to pay attention to what their teacher was saying, it became more and more apparent to him just how much so. His eyes would start on the chalkboard in the front of class, occasionally glancing at his notebook in front of him as he thought about taking notes; but then they would drift to his left. It was as though his gaze was naturally drawn to the auburn haired healer who sat just in front and to the left of him, close to the window. As per usual, her gaze was fixed outside the window, her eyes glistening in the morning light. Her face was relaxed and happy, thoughts that would leave him reeling no doubt running through her head. Anyone who knew Orihime knew she had not just an _active_ imagination, but a _wild_ imagination, although she was also _smart._ For all her daydreaming in class and absences, she was still excelling – something Ichigo could not claim.

With a sigh, Ichigo dragged his eyes from her for the umpteenth time, dropping his chin in his hand. He had no idea what the teacher was even talking about anymore, not that he really cared. He couldn't stop thinking about Orihime – the fact that he could always see her out of the corner of his eye not helping his situation any. Hiding his thoughts and feelings was second nature to him – he was not just good at it, but _great_ at it thanks to all his practice (much to Yuzu's exasperation), which is why he was so startled when Orihime could so easily elicit a smile from him. _A smile?!_ _I don't smile,_ he thought grumpily to himself.

 _But Orihime…_ He sighed to himself, his eyes on her again before he forcibly pulled them away. She hadn't always affected him so, he knew that better than anyone. The shift had been gradual and he had been more than a little reluctant to acknowledge it. The way he felt when she had gone missing was something he _never_ wanted to experience again. There had been no hesitation in his heart about going to Hueco Mundo to bring her home, whether he had help or not, and he would do so over and over again if necessary.

Thinking about Hueco Mundo reminded him of many things he wished he could forget, chief among them the way she screamed when he was hit with the cero, crying for him to not get hurt anymore. Her voice had urged him on, but he had lost control and the look of fear he'd seen flash through her eyes at his hollowfication had hurt worse than the cero attack…

' _Awe, don't tell me you regret me saving your ass.'_

Ichigo's scowl deepened at the sound of his hollow and he rolled his eyes as he sat back in his seat. He would never regret saving her, never regret what he had to do in order to bring her home, but for a time he had lived with the very real fear that she was going to be afraid of him – that she would look at him differently. It was a new feeling for him, a new thing for him to even be concerned about – but concerned he was.

 _Who am I kidding? This is Orihime we're talking about,_ he argued with himself, his eyes sliding over to her still form. She had shifted in her seat some, her chin resting in her hand and her head cocked slightly to the side so that her hair cascaded over her shoulder. She was so beautiful, and he'd purposely blinded himself for so long, but there was no point in fighting it anymore. Even though she had been dressed like the Arrancars, the moment he saw her again in Las Noches he realized she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. It was then that he realized how much he cared for her.

' _There you go again, King.'_

' _Ah, shut up.'_

' _I'm not arguing with you, Baka. The woman's a babe!'_

' _Don't talk about Orihime like that!'_

' _Oh? How should I talk about her, then?'_

' _Just,'_ he stopped, grinding his teeth in agitation. _'Don't,'_ he commanded. It didn't matter what he felt, he didn't deserve someone like Orihime and he never would. He was bloodied and she was light. He was tainted and hollow while she was innocent and deserved so much better, but that couldn't stop him from wanting to see her smile, hear the rich sound of her laughter, or look into the dazzling depths of her eyes – eyes that were gray, but sometimes looked a little purple if he looked deep enough. _Oh, Kami, I'm in trouble,_ he sighed, closing his eyes.

The bell rang before he opened his eyes again, signaling the break for lunch. Ichigo grudgingly opened his eyes, suddenly dreading the lunch break he'd spend with his friends, including Orihime. All around him desks squeaked as students rose from their seats and grabbed their bags. Voices chattered and laughter reached his ears that felt distant and far away. _I don't want to be here…_

"Are you ready, Kurosaki-kun?"

The sound of her voice was like music to his ears and the heavy crease in his brow eased some when he looked up, despite himself. Her smile greeted him, casting bright rays of sunshine through the cloudy gloominess of his heart. "Inoue?" His chest immediately felt warm but he tried to stifle the sensation as he reached for his bag and stood up. "Sure."

They met the rest of their friends in their usual spot on the roof, Ichigo careful to situate himself not too close to Orihime, but not wanting Uryu to sit next to her either, so he ended up between them, with Tatsuki on Orihime's other side. Uryu looked at him with a scarcely concealed smirk as he pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"So, did you hear of the new idea they have for the Valentine's Day dance?" Keigo asked, his eyes bright as though he had high expectations. He was on the other side of their oddly shaped circle, with Mizuiro, Sado, and a not so subtly lurking Chizuru.

Still breaking into his bento box, Ichigo looked up in confusion. "What are you talking about?" _And why should I care,_ he mentally added.

"Weren't you paying any attention, Ichigo?" Tatsuki chastised him, a glint in her eye that immediately set him on edge. "There are signs posted all over the school."

Maintaining his cool attitude outwardly, Ichigo shrugged. "No."

Beside him, Orihime barely stifled a giggle before she gasped, delicately covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh! I haven't seen them either!" she admitted, her cheeks darkening, especially once Ichigo looked up at her with something she couldn't place in his eyes.

Uryu could not let the moment pass. "Probably because you two were too busy running to class together this morning."

Orihime squirmed uncomfortably, suddenly picking at the hem of her skirt. "Ishida-kun," she started.

Ichigo interrupted her. "Your point?" he growled, violently stabbing the straw of his juice box into it with a raised eyebrow.

Smirking, Uryu shrugged. The glare from his glasses hid his eyes, but Ichigo could _feel_ them shifting from him to Orihime, and back. They were all interrupted when Chizuru could no longer contain herself. "The point is that we want to know what _you_ were doing with _Orihime_ this morning, Kurosaki?!"

Chizuru's outburst was silenced nearly as quickly as it started, with a swift move from Tatsuki. "Damn it, Honsho! I told you, if you can't keep your damn hands to yourself, you can't sit with us! Now get out of here!" She didn't wait for Chizuru to comply before forcibly removing her. She returned a moment later, dusting her hands off as though she had just finished taking out the trash.

"Thank you, Tatsuki-chan," Orihime murmured, her eyes shining with relief. She was too kind-hearted to do or say anything mean to Chizuru, even if she was uncomfortable with the girl's adamant advances and suggestive comments.

"You're welcome," Tatsuki proclaimed with a smile, taking her seat. "Asano-san, please continue."

Frowning at the formalities, Keigo nonetheless continued. "They're doing things differently this year."

 _We got that already!_ "And?" Ichigo snapped.

Keigo's face fell at Ichigo's bland question. "Don't you care? At all?!"

"Not really."

Uryu pushed his eyeglasses up on his nose, clearing his throat as he carefully opened up the contents of his bento box. "You act surprised, Asano. You know how Kurosaki is."

His frown deepening, it took a gentle elbow from Mizuiro, his nose buried in his phone, to convince Keigo to continue. "Anyway, they call it a 'Sadie Hawkins'. It's a western tradition where, get this," he patiently waited until all eyes were on him. Ichigo and Tatsuki looked bored, Mizuiro was still texting away on his phone, Uryu and Sado appeared mildly amused for some reason, and Orihime was looking at him with rapt attention. "The _girls_ have to ask the _guys._ "

"What? Why would they do that?" Ichigo retorted, surprised he even cared enough to ask the question. It's not like he ever went to school dances anyway. Beside him, Orihime had sucked in a quiet breath, her cheeks darkening as she looked down at the red bean paste and wasabi sandwich in her hand. _What's that about?_

Keigo shrugged, apparently satisfied with Ichigo's reaction. "I guess they want to try something new this year. You know, mix it up a little bit."

Ichigo went back to eating; suddenly regretting coming up to the roof for lunch in the first place, especially with the way Tatsuki was eying him. "Whatever."

With that, the subject was dropped. They had to hurry up to eat before the bell rang again, signaling their return to class and Ichigo's return to his silent torture.

* * *

The end of the day could not come soon enough. Ever since Orihime found out about the Sadie Hawkins dance, she could not stop thinking – thinking, thinking, and over-thinking, until she thought she might just explode. Her first thought upon hearing what the new rules for the dance were, was that she wanted to ask Ichigo, but that thought was immediately thrown down and stomped on. Repeatedly. _I_ can't _ask him! There's no way he'd say yes! We're friends! Friends_ don't _go to dances together!_ But that didn't stop her from _wanting_ to, and it didn't stop the ache in her heart that seemed to grow each time she thought about him showing up to her door in a suit, walking with her arm-in-arm to the school dance, and dancing the night away. A smile graced her lips as she imagined him smiling at her and _laughing_ with her. And maybe, just maybe, at the end of the night…

"No!" Her hands slammed down on her desk as she snapped herself out of her fantasy, her cheeks warm. She squeezed her eyes shut as though it could force the images from her mind.

"Inoue? Is there something you'd like to add to the lesson?" their teacher asked from the front, bringing Orihime back to the present.

 _Oh no!_ She screamed inwardly, her eyes slowly opening. Her shoulders rose in fear as she tried to disappear in shame. The entire class was looking at her as though she had lost her mind, Ichigo included. "S-sorry!" she exclaimed, quickly waving her hands in front of her anxiously. "T-there was a bug!"

Before anyone could say anything else, the final bell rang, and Orihime let out a sigh of relief. Her classmates were already packing up and leaving, clearly not thinking anything about the outburst from the class weirdo. "Orihime," Tatsuki called, suddenly at her side.

Plastering a nervous smile on her face, Orihime looked up at her best friend. "Hi, Tatsuki-chan!"

"You all right?" Tatsuki's deep brown eyes were looking at her with concern, her head cocked to the side as though she were trying to piece together a puzzle. "What was that?"

Although she tried not to, Orihime checked to see where Ichigo was. He was standing next to Sado and Uryu, his bag already slung over his shoulder. "Nothing," she muttered, slipping her bag over her shoulder so that it rested at her hip.

Tatsuki wisely followed Orihime's line of sight and turned back to her friend with a sly smile. "Would you like a walk home?"

Orihime's lower lip found its way between her teeth. She wanted Ichigo to walk her home. It had become their new little ritual since she came back from Hueco Mundo. But she was also nervous about it, suddenly afraid of doing or saying something stupid. "Thanks, Tatsuki, but," she began.

Knowing exactly what Orihime was about to say, Tatsuki held up her hand and cut her off. "I wasn't actually asking." She smiled as she grabbed Orihime's arm, dragging her with her. "Come on, I don't actually have practice tonight. We better take advantage of the opportunity while we can."

"B-but Kurosaki-kun," she whispered.

"What about him?"

"I-it-it's," she stuttered, her face turning more and more red by the second. They were getting closer to the boys.

"Hey, Ichigo!" Tatsuki called, making Orihime want to melt into a puddle in the floor.

"What?" he snapped.

"I'm walking Orihime home."

Ichigo paused, his eyes drifting to Orihime's beautifully blushing face beside her friend. It was true. He had started walking her home from school every day since she came back from Hueco Mundo. It was a small act of everyday protection he could do that seemed "normal" and that offered him some sense of peace. It wasn't something they discussed or talked about, it just sort of _happened._ They weren't always alone – in fact they usually weren't, but this was the first time he was being told he _wouldn't_ be coming. "Okay," he finally answered, his voice drawn out in his confusion. Orihime looked up at the sound, noticing the furrow to his brow and the deeper set to his frown.

"Okay then." Tatsuki turned back to Orihime, smiling softly as though proud of how easily she had swayed the notoriously ill-tempered punk – they were long-time friends after all. Her smile fell when she saw the way Orihime was looking at Ichigo, her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted. Her cheeks were still flushed, just darkening her normally porcelain skin. What was even more surprising was how openly Ichigo was looking back, at least for the moment. His frown softened when he looked at her, his eyes less hard. He nodded his head once, the corner of his mouth turning up in a gentle, but crooked smile. _What the hell?!_ "Come on, Orihime." She grabbed Orihime's arm to pull her along, bringing her back to her senses.

"Goodbye, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime called as they passed the small gathering of boys. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Bye, Inoue."

Even as Tatsuki dragged her down the hall, Orihime was shocked by what she had heard in Ichigo's voice. _Was that sadness? Is he… sad?!_

* * *

"Okay, what is going on?" Tatsuki demanded the moment they were alone outside the school.

Orihime brushed her hair behind her ear, her brows drawn as she wondered just what she had heard in Ichigo's voice. It both pained her and excited her. She felt like running and screaming and jumping for joy, but she also felt like she needed a very big hug. "What do you mean?"

"With you and Ichigo."

Her mouth falling open, Orihime looked at Tatsuki with wide, innocent eyes. "Huh?!"

Tatsuki returned Orihime's stare with an incredulous look. "Come on, Orihime. You can talk to me, remember?"

Orihime closed her mouth and dropped her gaze to the ground in front of them. Like she so often did when she was worried, her fingertips reached up to brush the blue hairpins at her temples, the coolness and familiar reiatsu soothing. Tatsuki was the _one_ person Orihime had confessed everything to – and she knew _everything,_ including how Orihime felt about the substitute soul reaper _._ "Am I a horrible person for being so happy Kurosaki-kun doesn't love Rukia-chan?"

Tatsuki's lip curled in surprise. "What?"

Orihime smiled softly, looking up at her friend with eyes that shone with the relief she had felt in the morning. "This morning. He told me he doesn't."

 _What the_ hell _were they talking about this morning?!_ Tatsuki wanted to scream the question, but knew better than to push Orihime in such a state. Instead, she broke into a smile, tossing her short black hair back. "Well I could have told you that!" She clapped Orihime hard on the shoulder, making the healer yelp softly. She distinctly remembered the conversation in which Orihime admitted to being _jealous_ of Rukia's relationship with Ichigo. Orihime?! Jealous?! The idea was ridiculous, and clearly unfounded. "But _you_ wouldn't listen!"

Her blush deepening, Orihime looked back at her feet. They continued to walk in silence, neither in much of a hurry to get home. A full five minutes elapsed before Tatsuki finally asked, "Are you going to ask him?"

Her breath sucked in, immediately knowing what Tatsuki was asking but wishing she didn't. "Ask him what?"

One thick black eyebrow rose as Tatsuki looked at Orihime out of the corner of her eye. "To the dance."

That did it. Orihime's feet caught on each other and she stumbled, falling to her knees before even Tatsuki could catch her. She partially caught herself on her hands, abrading her palms, but her knees still hit and were scraped on the sidewalk as well. "I can't do that!" she muttered when Tatsuki helped her up.

"Why not?"

Orihime looked at Tatsuki with pleading eyes as she straightened out her skirt. Nothing was bleeding much – she could take care of it all when she got home. "Because he's just my friend."

 _Liar,_ Tatsuki sneered, but she wouldn't push. "People go to dances with their friends all the time."

They resumed walking and Orihime looked at Tatsuki out of the corner of her eye. "Really?"

Tatsuki scoffed. "As if I'd lie to you. Really."

Thoughts raced through Orihime's mind. The same images that had plagued her throughout the afternoon came back; only this time she didn't fight them as much. But then the opposite thoughts came, carried there no doubt by the little blue men. She imagined Ichigo turning her down, laughing at her, and looking down at her with scorn – something he'd _never_ done, but she never wanted him to do either. "I-I couldn't," she whispered. "What if he says no?"

"He won't say no." _I'll kill him if he does._ "Besides, it's just as friends, so there's no pressure, right?"

"But Tatsuki," Orihime started, both fighting and wanting the butterflies in her stomach and warmth in her heart. She felt dizzy with the possibility. _I could go to the dance with Kurosaki-kun?!_

"I'll tell you what. If you do this, I'll ask someone too so we can all go together."

Orihime's eyes brightened and she grabbed Tatsuki's hands, squeezing them as she slowly smiled. "You mean that?"

Her smile growing to match her friend's, Tatsuki nodded. "I promise."

"Okay!" Orihime released her, squaring her shoulders and starting forward once more with a new found purpose in her step. "I'll do it!"

"Tonight."

"What?!"

* * *

 _The usual disclaimer...I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo._


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Update 1/6/18: I recently realized a mistake in season with the dance now being in February (joys of flying by the seat of your pants) so that has been addressed for those of you that may have noticed… Sorry! I also made a few other very minor edits in_ _preparation for the next chapter!_

 _Update 2/21/18: Fixed some minor typos that I can't believe I missed. Sorry! Getting prepped to hopefully start working on the next addition to this story! :)_

* * *

 _A/N: Normally my text is not done this way, but to avoid confusion, Ichigo/Hollow Ichigo conversations will be in_ _ **bold**_.

Orihime scarcely remembered getting home after Tatsuki dropped the bomb on her. _'Tonight,'_ she'd said. _I have to ask Kurosaki-kun tonight?! How am I supposed to do that?! How am I going to ask him?!_ Her mind was racing, thoughts and possibilities running through her mind carried by the little blue men and her own imagination. It plagued her as she cleaned her new scrapes; and even as she stood with her back to the kitchen counter, the kettle on the stove to heat up some water for tea, her mind was elsewhere.

 _I can't just call him up and ask him, that's WAY too embarrassing!_ Her head shot up as she stared blankly at some spot on the wall, trying to figure out how she should ask him. She had asked Tatsuki for suggestions, but Tatsuki had come up empty handed, shrugging with a wry smile on her face. _Damn it, Tatsuki!_ Gasping, she slapped her hands over her mouth at her thoughts. She'd never cursed her best friend before! _I must be seriously stressed!_

Behind her, the teakettle started whistling and she distractedly poured the boiling water into her favorite strawberry shaped mug. It had been a Christmas present from Ichigo and was shaped like a strawberry with a vine for the handle. Large but closed anime-style eyes adorned the sides as it was grinning widely. Come to think of it, it was the first gift she'd ever gotten from him…

 _Stop it! I've got to focus,_ she admonished herself, setting the teakettle back on a cold burner and stirring the tea bags. _We were just studying last night and our test is in only two days,_ she thought, putting her finger to her chin. _But should I invite everyone again? Would it be too weird if I only invited him?!_ The thought of being alone with him again both thrilled and terrified her, especially with the thought of asking him to the dance also hanging over her head. But she also didn't want an audience – _that would be mortifying! What do I do?!_

Finally giving up on figuring it out herself, she picked up her phone to text Tatsuki, who was probably just getting home. She was more than a little surprised to see a message from Ichigo already waiting for her. It made her smile as warmth spread through her heart and pooled wonderfully in her belly. Without checking to see what it said she let out a happy squeal, pressing the phone to her heart and jumping away from the counter to spin on her toes like a playful ballerina. _He texted me!_

Before she could get too carried away, she forced herself to sit down at the table, her heart pounding in nervous anticipation as she unlocked her screen to check the message. She had no reason to be so excited over a _message_ , but she was. Her smile grew when she saw what he'd sent.

' _Hey, Inoue. You get home OK?'_

"So typical of you, Kurosaki-kun," she whispered before typing back. _'Hi, Kurosaki-kun! I got home just fine. Thanks for asking!'_ She hit send and then cringed. "Stupid."

From his room, Ichigo's phone buzzed in his pocket. He'd texted Orihime on his way home, not able to stop thinking about her since he wasn't able to walk her home like he usually did. When Tatsuki had told him she was walking Orihime home, there had been a moment that he'd debated arguing with her; but then he'd seen the look in her eyes and realized how that might come across, and he'd shoved the thought aside. That didn't mean he didn't think about her his whole way home… When he saw the message was from Orihime, he smiled, but then realized he had no idea what to say. _'Good.'_ Send. "Fucking idiot!" he grumbled.

Orihime looked at her phone and smiled, despite the short message. _Should I ask him now?!_ _What do I say?!_ Feeling brave, she glanced at her mug before typing out, _'How are you feeling about our upcoming math test?'_

Ichigo frowned when he saw the message. "What the hell is that about?" he wondered aloud, his fingers hesitating over the screen before he texted back, _'Meh.'_

Giggling, Orihime couldn't stop smiling. It was not a common occurrence for Ichigo and her to text. If they did, it was short and succinct – to the point and that was that. He was typically all about business. While that had changed somewhat since Hueco Mundo, it really hadn't, so she was happy their conversation was still going, despite his short responses. _'Well…'_ She slipped and hit send, leaving Ichigo to stare at his phone in confusion before she frantically added, _'Do you need some more help studying?'_

 _What the hell,_ Ichigo thought to himself, his heart jumping into his throat at Orihime's thinly veiled invitation. _'I'm sure I could use it,'_ he admitted, then shut his screen off and threw his phone on his bed as nervous energy overtook him. _Fuck!_

' _ **All right, King! That's what I'm talking about!'**_

' _ **Oh, shut the hell up!'**_ Ichigo roared in his head, barely suppressing the urge to punch the wall at his hollow's rude interruption.

Her smile widening, Orihime was suddenly very glad Ichigo had texted her. He solved her dilemma without even knowing she had one. _'Would you like to study again, tonight? Since our test is coming up.'_ She quickly added the last part, afraid of sounding too enthusiastic about studying, but still cringed before sending it. _Tatsuki would be so proud of me!_

When his phone buzzed from his bed, Ichigo looked at it with mixed feelings. While he wanted to see Orihime, he was also nervous about being alone with her – his actions this morning proved that he might not be the most stable around her. He did need to study, true, but more than anything, _he wanted to see her_. In the end, desire got the better of him and he snatched his phone up, his heart pounding when he read her words. _Hell yes!_ He wanted to scream like an idiot, his hollow chuckling in the back of his mind, but he sent, _'Sure.'_

"Ah!" she screamed when she saw his message. Then her phone chimed again and she looked down, surprised to get two messages so quickly.

' _I don't want to put you out again, but can we do this at your house? My dad is CRAZY.'_

Her lower lip made its way between her teeth as Orihime felt butterflies take flight in her stomach. It was just what she wanted! _'Of course!'_ Grinning like the cat that just ate the family bird, she crushed her phone to her chest once more. _He's coming!_

A crooked smile crossed Ichigo's features as he immediately typed out his reply before peeling off his school uniform to jump in the shower. He never looked forward to studying so much before.

Orihime looked at her phone with her undying grin still in place. _'All right, I'll be there soon. Thanks, Inoue.'_

Her fingers were slightly shaky when she texted back, _'I'll see you soon!'_

Realizing he would be there within thirty minutes, Orihime took a healthy gulp of her tea before grunting from the pain – it was still too hot – and running to her room to quickly shower and change, keeping her hair covered so it wouldn't get wet. She had cleaned before the others came over to study the night before, so there was little to do other than prepare some snacks and wait for the man of her dreams to come over.

* * *

Ichigo arrived just over twenty minutes later, his knock solid on the door. When Orihime pulled it open, she was still smiling – the smile having not left her face since he agreed to study with her. She had changed into more comfortable clothes – now wearing pale pink jeans and a white boat-necked sweater, her hair still held back with her pins but brushed out once more. She was only slightly surprised to see Ichigo had also changed, and she had to remind herself to keep her eyes from wandering. He was wearing blue jeans and a black shirt and jacket that showed just how broad his shoulders were. His hair was just as unruly as ever, although it looked damp, and his school bag was slung casually over his shoulder like it always was. "Hi, Kurosaki-kun!"

"Hi, Inoue," he replied with the gentle smile he reserved just for her (although she didn't know that).

The simple sound of his voice made her smile even wider, her eyes scarcely open as she stepped back to allow him inside. He entered with a slight duck of his head, taking his jacket off, and stuffing his hand into the pocket of his jeans in attempt to hide his nervousness. "Are you hungry?" she asked as she quickly moved to step around him.

Ichigo paled at the thought of eating Orihime's food. The girl had the weirdest tastes he had ever heard of, and just the idea of eating anything she made, made him nauseous. Regardless, he didn't want to hurt her feelings. "Eh," he started, rubbing the back of his neck.

She led him into the kitchen where there was a large plate filled with crackers, cheese, wasabi, red bean paste, tiny slices of lunch meat, tuna salad, peanut butter, jelly, and syrup. Ichigo's eyebrow shot up when he saw it, and he suddenly found himself smiling again. At least _some_ of the options were normal. "I have some snacks and tea if you'd like some," she offered.

The smile she was presenting was nervous, he could tell by how tight it was, and he didn't like it. "Sure," he immediately replied, his stomach still rolling at the thought of some of the combinations she displayed. The smile she flashed made it all worth it, however, and he found himself relaxing as she turned to make them some tea.

It was as her back was to him that Ichigo fully came into the kitchen, dropping his book bag next to a chair. As he straightened, he allowed his eyes to trail up the back of Orihime, taking in her legs that went on forever. The jeans she wore were fitted – hugging her curves and accentuating them. While her top came down to cover her hips, it too was slightly fitted, and he couldn't help his reaction to her. He was more than a little irritated to know that it was the same reaction nearly every guy in school had to her, but her tiny waist called to him – especially after he had held it that morning. Her hips, which swayed when she moved, drew his eyes and made his mouth dry. It was when he became aware of his hollow's rising reaction that he ran a hand through his hair and tore his eyes away from the beauty in front of him.

' _ **Come on, King. You know she's fucking hot.'**_

' _ **I told you not to talk about her like that!'**_ Ichigo snarled at his hollow.

' _ **I'm only saying it because you know it's true.'**_

' _ **We are NOT going to talk about this!'**_

Orihime turned, extending a full mug to him with a tender smile. Ichigo took it, fighting down the heat in his cheeks, and only sat down once she did. "Thank you, Inoue."

She waved his thanks off. "You don't need to thank me, Kurosaki-kun!" He frowned at her, but then startled when she jumped to her feet. "Oh! Right! Let me get my books!" She was gone before he could even say anything.

 _Weirdo,_ he sighed, shaking his head as he bent down to retrieve his own books from his bag. He knew he needed to study. Without Orihime's help he would be even worse off than he already was. He couldn't help that now that he was with her, his mind was running over everything _but_ studying. _Damn it,_ he cursed inwardly.

Orihime returned a moment later, her bubbly smile still in place. She sat down next to him this time instead of across from him, so they could share notes and she could fill him in on some of what he had missed. It turned into more of a tutoring session than either of them had expected, but they were both pleased with it as conversation flowed easily between them, their nerves dissipating as time went on. Ichigo even snacked on Orihime's food – something that made her heart soar – although he stuck to the crackers, cheese, tuna, and lunchmeat. Orihime ate combinations of everything, leaving him to stare in wide-eyed amazement as she ate such random concoctions as tuna with syrup or red bean paste and jelly with gusto.

They moved closer to each other as the study session progressed, neither really aware of their increased proximity until Orihime happened to look up while Ichigo was working on a problem, his brow furrowed and his characteristic scowl firmly in place. His eyes were on the paper in front of him, his thoughts solely on math, so when she flushed and her eyes widened, he didn't notice. _Oh gosh! How did we get so close to each other?! Has he even noticed?! Is this okay?! What should I do?!_ Her mind ran a mile a minute as she stared at the orange-haired substitute soul reaper, her heart suddenly in her throat. They had been studying for a solid two hours and she was past the point of even feeling nervous anymore. She was feeling comfortable with him, relaxed even. _I wish we could do this more often,_ she breathed inwardly, reluctantly pulling her eyes from him before he'd notice her gaze. She dropped her chin in her hand as a new thought trickled into her mind, brought there by the little blue men. _When should I ask him to the dance?_

"Got it!" he exclaimed, sitting back and throwing his pencil down with triumph. He was smiling when he looked at Orihime, and she immediately burst into a smile, her cheeks turning a delicate pink color.

"I knew you could do it, Kurosaki-kun!" she encouraged, then took his paper. Just like they had been doing, she checked over his answers. It took a few moments, her brow scrunched as she focused, and suddenly the tables were turned as Ichigo was able to watch her for a moment, his smile faltering when he realized how close they were.

 _When did that happen,_ he wondered, but also didn't care. Even though they were working on math, which wasn't exactly his favorite subject, he was enjoying himself because he was with Orihime. They finally fell into a groove and felt comfortable. He didn't want it to end. So if she hadn't noticed their close proximity, he wasn't going to bring attention to it either.

"Very good!" she exclaimed as she set her pen down. Her smile was even wider than Ichigo's, her heart swelling with pride.

Ichigo smiled softly back at her, before taking a sip of his tea. He didn't think he'd smiled so much in the past year as he'd done the past two days with Orihime. _Has she noticed?!_ He inwardly panicked for a moment as she took a sip of her tea as well. It was with a groan that he set the tea down and rubbed the back of his neck before rising to his feet. "I don't know about you, but I need a break."

Gray eyes rose to meet his from over her strawberry mug. Ichigo had noticed the mug the moment she turned around with it, and had smiled inwardly, feeling rather smug that she was using it. He had felt so nervous and awkward buying her a present, let alone something _like that,_ given his nickname, but the fact that he had seen her using it on multiple occasions now made him feel better. True, he had partially bought it for her on a dare from Rukia, although how that had happened he still wasn't sure. "Sure," she agreed, setting the mug down and rising to her feet beside him.

They moved to Orihime's front porch, the crisp evening air kissing their skin and waking up their dulled senses. Orihime closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, her hands gently gripping the railing as she leaned back and swayed side to side. Ichigo stood with his hands jammed into his pockets beside her, smirking at the look of pure bliss on her face as her hair swung along her back. He averted his eyes to the descending sun before she opened her eyes again. His hand ran over his soul reaper badge in his pocket and he pulled it out without thinking about it.

"Does the quiet worry you?" Orihime asked, not wanting to jinx the lapse in hollows, but feeling like she had to fill the silence.

Ichigo's eyes snapped up to hers and his fingers closed around the badge. Mocha brown searched smoky gray before he jammed the badge back into his pocket. "Sometimes," he admitted. "I keep expecting the damn thing to go off at any minute."

 _He never gets much of a break, does he?_ "Well, I hope it stays quiet," she asserted before her hand flew up to her mouth. _Oh no! Did I seriously just say that?!_

The crooked smile was back, tugging at the corner of Ichigo's lips, and this time he chuckled, the sound deep and rich, and endearing to Orihime's ears. He closed his eyes as his shoulders shook merrily, and when he reopened them, they sparkled with amusement she had not seen before. "Me too." When Orihime continued to look horrified at her words, he smiled again and turned back to the sunset, giving her some privacy to regain her senses.

' _ **Wow! She's speechless! Way to go, King!'**_

' _ **I didn't do anything. She did that herself.'**_

' _ **My point exactly.'**_

Despite himself, when Orihime didn't move beside him, he peeked at her over his shoulder, his cheeks warming when she continued to stand with her hand to her lips, her eyes wide in shock. _What if… No!_ He shook his head to clear his mind of such rampant thoughts. He couldn't afford to think that way, nor _should_ he. In an attempt to ease her discomfort, he gripped the railing and indicated the sunset with a nod of his head. "It's a beautiful night." His lip curled when he looked forward again. _Did I just say beautiful? Eck._

Snapped out of her wandering thoughts, Orihime looked at the sunset, stepping back up to the railing at Ichigo's side. She stepped closer to him without thinking about it, his warmth radiating to her slightly through the chill in the air. "It is," she breathed, not even really taking in the brilliant reds, purples, and oranges the sun cast as it set. Her mind was too busy racing. _Should I ask him now?! Oh gosh!_ Her hands gripped the railing tightly in her nervousness, her knuckles turning white as she swallowed and tried to psyche herself up for her question. They were having such a good night, she didn't want to ruin it and make things awkward. If she asked him and he said no, things would _definitely_ be awkward, despite what Tatsuki said. _I've got to do this! I can do this,_ she chanted internally, her teeth suddenly digging into her bottom lip as her heart hammered away at her ribs. "K-Kurosaki-kun?" she whispered, dragging her eyes from the sunset to look up at him.

"Hmm?" he asked, his eyes sliding to hers.

She opened her mouth to speak. She fully intended to speak; but the words wouldn't come out. When she tried to say, _'Will you go to the dance with me?'_ all that came out was a strangled squeak. "I… I'm hungry!" she exclaimed instead, spinning on her toes so fast that her hair whipped him in the arm as she ran back inside.

"Okay…" he breathed, looking after her retreating form with his brows furrowed in confusion. _That was weird…_

Orihime retreated to the kitchen, her hands covering her chest as her heart pounded beneath. Her hands were shaking, much as the rest of her was. Although she told him she was hungry, she was in fact too nervous to even want to _think_ about food. _I blew it! I totally blew it!_ She wanted to bury her face in her hands and scream out her frustration, but she was too afraid of Ichigo seeing such a thing.

"Inoue?" Ichigo's soft and concerned voice came from just inside the kitchen. "Everything all right?"

Plastering a smile on her face, Orihime forced her breathing down to a more natural rate before she turned around. "Yep!"

Something was off, Ichigo could sense it; just what that was, was beyond him, so he dropped it, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he looked at the woman before him with a raised eyebrow. "Should I go?" he asked. He didn't want to go, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable either.

"No!" she answered too quickly, making her cheeks grow warm again. "I mean, not unless you want to," she amended, averting her eyes.

"If you're good, I'm good."

It was odd to hear such words coming from Ichigo. Ichigo – the class punk who gave the impression of not caring about anything, but in fact cared deeply about many things. The more time she spent with him, the more she fell in love with him. It brought another genuine smile to her face, this one gentler than the last. "Good."

Without any more discussion, she slipped back into her chair and they resumed their study session. The awkward moment from before was forgotten as Orihime walked Ichigo through the steps of solving the last bit of problems that would be on the exam. Or at least she started to, when the soul badge went off.

"Damn it!" Ichigo cursed, pulling the badge from his pocket and glaring at it. The eyes were flashing as it beeped. "I'm sorry, Inoue." He looked around to find a good place to leave his body.

"The couch," she indicated, knowing exactly what he was looking for. _He's so considerate to not just leave himself in the middle of the floor._ She had to suppress a giggle at that thought. _That's so silly!_ As Ichigo rose, she stood up alongside him, her eyes bright and hopeful. He made his way to the couch and sat down before slamming the badge against his chest. His body immediately went completely limp, sagging into the couch, and he stood up out of it, in Shinigami form. Orihime swallowed, her eyes trailing over him despite herself, and offered him an encouraging smile. She didn't want him to go out alone. "Would you like help?"

He looked at her, his brows furrowed, and his lips pressed into a thin line. He hated her doing anything that put her in danger, or at risk of being hurt. He knew she didn't exactly appreciate feeling so sheltered, that she was more than capable of taking care of herself, and that she was actually a benefit in battle, but he couldn't help it. "I don't want you to get hurt," he finally admitted. Her smile fell and was replaced with a determined look that surprised him. He'd seen it before, but it always shocked him when her eyes hardened. "Inoue, I can shunpo there and be back before you know it." She continued to glare at him, rousing a chuckle from his hollow that made him grind his teeth. "Fine," he snapped, grabbing her hand. "Come on."

Orihime squealed as he all but threw her onto his back and flash-stepped onto the porch before jumping onto the roof. They couldn't be seen like this – someone would question seeing her floating in the air. She immediately pointed in the direction of the hollow and he took off, using shunpo so they would not be seen.

As they traveled, Ichigo was acutely aware of Orihime pressed tightly against his back. He held her under her legs and she clung to his shoulders, her chest pressing into him closer than he had ever experienced. It was more than a little distracting, even with Zangetsu between them, and made a shiver run down his back. _Focus, focus, focus, damn it!_

' _ **Well, well, well, this is an interesting turn of events.'**_

' _ **Shut the fuck up. I don't have time for this.'**_

Loud cackling was his only answer until his hollow returned with, _**'Tell me, King. How does it feel?'**_

Ichigo jerked, nearly losing his footing and causing Orihime to squeal in surprise. "Sorry! You okay?" he shouted over his shoulder.

"Yeah!" she answered, her face nearly buried into his back. Like Ichigo, she was distracted by their current predicament. He'd never done this before – she'd never felt him hold her quite like this – and even though it wasn't meant to be intimate, there was something very intimate about it. He was solid, like a rock, beneath her, and each step jolted through her with the strength of his legs; but she had undying trust in him. Before she could focus on it too much, she sensed the hollow directly in front of them. "Kurosaki-kun!" she cried, pointing in front of them.

Ichigo slowed and then stopped, releasing her legs so she could slide from his back. He didn't pull his hands away quite far enough, so her thighs and hips slid between his hands as she slipped off, and he quickly pulled them away, a blush darkening his cheeks even as his heart raced even more than it already was. "S-sorry!" he stammered, turning from her before she could see his blush and pulling Zangetsu from his back. _Damn it, he's rubbing off on me!_

His hollow simply cackled, clearly enjoying how much Ichigo was squirming.

The hollow sensed them a moment later, and Ichigo immediately stepped in front of Orihime, who was nearly as red as a tomato and still recovering from her shock of Ichigo's hands on her. _Did-did that just happen?_ She knew it was an accident, but she couldn't help but be excited by it. Regardless, she kept one eye on the hollow, and one eye on Ichigo as he freed Zangetsu and stepped toward the hollow.

As tall as a two-story house, the hollow stood on two feet, but then dropped down to four when it caught sight of them. Its mask was cracked down the right side; the hole for its right eye glowing a strange vibrant green while the other was empty and black. Large teeth shone in the growing darkness, jagged like those of a predator along its elongated muzzle. Numerous horns projected from the back of the mask, twisted and gnarled together in an unrecognizable mass. Its body resembled that of a bear with large and sturdy hind legs and large feet, complete with long claws. The front legs were more flexible than the rear with more dexterous fingers, but the claws were even longer and more deadly. The hollow lifted one foot to flex its fingers as though to emphasize this point while a dark red tongue protruded from its mouth to lick its lips hungrily. The hole in its chest was hidden when it was on all fours, its head hanging low between its legs as it took in the two before it.

"What is that?" Orihime asked, peeking out behind Ichigo.

"It looks like a bear," he answered, his frown in place as he tried to see how the hollow moved.

Loosing a roar, the hollow swung its head back and forth before lunging. It accelerated with remarkable speed, closing the distance between them so suddenly, they would have been crushed had Ichigo not grabbed Orihime and flash-stepped away. Even as he did it, she had her hands to her pins and called forth her fairies. "Santen Kesshun, I reject!"

At her words, her three fairies appeared, forming a triangular shield in front of her and Ichigo. "Stay here!" Ichigo shouted, immediately releasing her and running around the shield. The hollow had just turned around from its last charge and was pawing the ground.

 _I need to end this quickly,_ Ichigo growled, glancing to where Orihime continued her shield. She didn't look scared, but her eyes were wide, keeping an eye on him and the hollow. When he looked back to the hollow again, dirt flew up from its feet as it propelled itself forward; letting loose an angry roar that put Menos Grande to shame. Suppressing the urge to flinch from the sound, Ichigo ran forward as well, pulling Zangetsu back in preparation to attack. As the hollow barreled down on him, he had to look up in order to keep track of it, and when it swung a large paw at him, he jumped up, swinging Zangetsu in an effort to slash its mask. Sensing his attack, the hollow turned at the last minute, making Ichigo nearly miss, and only take off a chunk of the mask rather than cut through it. "Damn it!" he cursed as he landed off to the side of the hollow.

He scarcely had time to think, for the next thing he knew, the hollow changed targets and barreled down on Orihime. "Inoue!" he cried, immediately flash-stepping toward her.

Orihime had her eye on the hollow and braced herself behind her shield by gritting her teeth. Ichigo saw her spread her legs and bend her knees in preparation for the impact, but then saw her mouth move as she called forward Tsubaki. "Koten Zanshun, I reject!" Her voice rang out clearly in the middle of the field, and Ichigo arrived at her side just as Tsubaki flew out from her shield like a bright stream of golden light, aiming for the middle of the hollow's mask.

Again, the hollow turned its head, but this time Ichigo was ready and he was not going to waste any more time. "Getsuga Tensho!" he shouted, sweeping Zangetsu across his body and loosing a flash of brilliant blue light that made Orihime squint. Tsubaki darted to the side just in time to be missed by the powerful attack while the hollow swung a foot as large as a car in one final act of defiance as its mask shattered.

Ichigo, who was standing outside of the shield in order to launch his own attack, saw the final act coming and threw himself in front of Orihime, protecting her body with his own, but stood behind the shield. The hollow's foot connected with the shield with enough force to push her back several feet, but the shield held. The only reason she fell was because her foot caught on some loose stones, throwing her off balance. In her frantic grab for something, _anything_ to keep her from falling, she grabbed onto Ichigo, and ended up pulling him down with her as she shrieked in surprise.

They landed in a heap, Ichigo catching himself on his hands to keep from crushing Orihime while the hollow disappeared behind them. He looked down at Orihime with wild eyes, his hands planted on either side of her shoulders, while his right knee rested between her legs and the his left knee remained outside of them. Zangetsu was at her side. She looked up at him with wide, shocked eyes, her hands still grasping his kosode tightly, but now also pressed against his chest as he hovered above her. She still held the proper hand position to maintain her shield. Ichigo's chest was resting against her hands from the force of the hollow shoving them back, and the pull of her when she tripped, but it still took them both a moment to realize they were touching, Ichigo's chest rising and falling rapidly with his quick breaths, pressing into her soft hands each time and able to feel her slight trembling.

Ichigo couldn't stop staring into Orihime's eyes, as startled as they were. The flecks of violet held within drew his attention, until his eyes fell lower and he had to grit his teeth. Her hair was splayed around her head like an auburn halo, and her lips were parted slightly in surprise, looking pink and soft and tempting to the substitute soul reaper. _Damn it!_

 _Ichigo,_ Orihime breathed, clenching her hand into a fist to keep herself from doing or saying something she would regret. She saw his eyes leave hers just as hers left his; her eyes falling to his own slightly parted lips, and her heart jumped into her throat when she felt him lean down. _Oh, Kami! He's so close!_

Ichigo felt the change in his own position through the strain in his arms before he actually knew what he was doing. The rising blush in Orihime's cheeks, and the sudden realization that he could feel more of her beneath him than just her hands against his chest threw him back into reality as though he had just been doused with a bucket of cold water. _What the hell am I doing?!_ Before his thoughts could run any further, he jumped, throwing himself off of Orihime while she jerked back from him in surprise before sitting up as they both laughed nervously. Ichigo scratched the back of his neck, his cheeks flaming, while Orihime thanked her fairies for their help as they returned to her pins.

"That was an awesome attack, Tsubaki!"

The red fairy turned narrowed eyes on Ichigo, flying angrily close to his face as he shook his fist at him. "I'm lucky _someone_ didn't kill me!"

Ichigo's eyes snapped to the tiny fairy. "I knew you'd get away in time!" he argued.

Tsubaki folded his arms across his chest and turned his head away with a, " _Tsk,"_ before disappearing back into Orihime's pin with the others.

Ichigo was just replacing Zangetsu at his back when his eyes met Orihime's and he had to bite his tongue to keep from blushing once more. The fight was done and over, but his heart was still pounding, his chest still warm from where she had been touching it. It was just like his hand when she had left for Las Noches – he could feel her reiatsu clinging to him like a gentle caress, and it made him warm inside. _Why do I keep feeling this way, damn it?! And did I seriously just…_ He had trouble admitting it, even to himself. _Did I seriously just almost_ kiss _her?!_

"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun," she murmured with a soft bow, clasping her hands in front of her.

Ichigo wanted to jerk her upright but resisted and shrugged instead. "I should be thanking you," he corrected. He turned so they could start the walk back to her apartment, needing to get his eyes off of her. "If you hadn't been here, that thing would have clobbered me!"

She smiled and looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I doubt that."

"Your shield holding up while we got thrown back several feet isn't convincing enough for you? You protected me, Inoue. You protected both of us." Even as the words left him, he felt his cheeks getting warm, the heat spreading uncomfortably down his neck and to his ears. He wasn't used to handing out compliments so easily, even if it was to Orihime.

 _But you dove in front of me,_ she wanted to argue, but also wasn't sure that was right to say. While she was trying to figure out what to say, she shivered, her arms coming up to hug herself on instinct. Ichigo caught this and looked at her with a raised brow. _Damn. I didn't even let her grab a coat before we left..._ "You want to hurry back? It is cold out."

Orihime's cheeks darkened at the thought of riding on his back again, but she didn't want to turn down the offer either. "Okay," she answered simply with a nod, and smiled when Ichigo stopped and helped her on his back. He was much more gentle now that they weren't in a crazy rush to get to the hollow, but once she was secure, he took off, wary of being seen.

On his back once more, and traveling faster than she thought possible, Orihime tried to look at their surroundings without much luck – she could scarcely keep up. In the end, she gave up and rested her cheek against Ichigo's back, feeling safe and secure in his grasp even as he jumped along the rooftops. _I protected him,_ she thought to herself, allowing a soft smile to grace her lips. _He dove in front of me to protect me, but_ I _protected_ him! Her grip on his shoulders tightened slightly at the thought, her smile widening. It was all she wanted to do, and she had been able to do it.

Little did she know that Ichigo was thinking the same thing as he flash-stepped, smiling when her grip on him tightened. He had tried to protect her, but she had protected him. A large part of him had known her shield would hold – he had faith in her, after all – but he couldn't risk not being there if that wasn't the case. A smile crossed his lips as pride for her swelled within his chest. _She_ had protected _him._

They arrived back at Orihime's apartment a few moments later, Orihime shivering by the time they stepped back inside. While she wrapped herself up in a blanket and made more tea, Ichigo returned to his body, leaning against the wall in the kitchen once he was done. He looked at his watch and flinched, but wasn't ready to leave yet. He didn't want to. The two were quiet while the teakettle worked, not saying anything until they sat at the table once more, their mugs in front of them, steaming silently. The only sound was the soft _tinking_ of metal against ceramic as they occasionally stirred their brews. The mood had turned somber, and neither were really sure why.

 _I can't believe I almost did that!_ Ichigo couldn't stop beating himself up over nearly kissing her. He hadn't even been aware he was doing anything!

' _ **I can,'**_ his hollow taunted.

Ichigo flinched, which drew Orihime's attention. "Kurosaki-kun?" she asked softly, her eyes searching his.

He smiled gently and shook his head as though to dismiss the issue. "Sorry, Inoue."

"You ready to study some more?" she asked hopefully, dropping her eyes to her tea as she stirred it.

"You sure you don't have anything better to do?"

Her eyes shot up to his, the soft purple hues flashing. "Of course not!"

 _Kami, she's beautiful…_ He sighed. "To be honest, I don't know that I can focus on math anymore," he admitted, looking at his book and math problems before him with a disgusted scowl. His eyes softened when he looked back up to her. "And you look like you could use a warm bath to thaw out." The words were the wrong choice because then he suddenly was imagining her in the tub and had to shake his head to clear his thoughts. Again, his hollow cackled. "W-we always have tomorrow."

Wrapping the blanket tighter around her shoulders, Orihime blew on her tea before taking a cautious sip. "It wasn't _that_ cold, Kurosaki-kun," she teased, rolling her eyes. "But I understand if you're done."

 _I don't want to be._ "Thank you for helping me." His voice was soft and earnest as his eyes searched hers. That look she couldn't quite place was there again, and it made warmth flood Orihime's veins, making her fingers tingle.

"Of course!" she grinned, her eyes practically shutting as she cocked her head to the side. It was the smile Ichigo loved the most and his heart felt like it was being squeezed in his chest. When her eyes opened once more, something dark fluttered behind them, and she fidgeted with the blanket as she once more tried to work up the courage to ask him to the dance. "K-Kurosaki-kun?"

He was taking a sip of tea, mentally talking himself into leaving. It was getting late… "Hmm?" he asked.

Her heart was fluttering, beating as fast as a bird's wings within the cage of her ribs. Her stomach was clenched so tight, she felt like she was in real danger of vomiting. _Don't throw up, don't throw up!_ "W-would," she started. _Everything_ was shaking – her hands, her lips, her shoulders. When Ichigo continued to wait for her question in silence, his eyes searching hers, she groaned inwardly and blurted, "I was wondering if you w-would like to walk me to school again tomorrow?" and sighed, drooping her head. _Tatsuki's going to be so mad…_

Breaking into a smile, Ichigo nodded. "Sure." He waited until her bewildered eyes met his before adding, "I was planning on doing that anyway." Her resulting gasp made him smirk.

* * *

 _A/N: Hehehe! I can't believe I'm already updating this again! And sorry for trolling you (not)!_ _I hope you enjoyed this update. I really wanted to do something with them fighting together. I know Orihime can sometimes be underrated and I wanted to do something to show that she can be strong in her own way, and that Ichigo appreciates her for what she does. I know our little healer got cold feet this time, but I promise it's coming! And thanks again for all the wonderful reviews, follows, and favorites! It's what has made updating this so much easier lately. I appreciate you all!_

 _As always, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. If I did, there would be more romance involved! They all belong to Tite Kubo._


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: I recently realized a mistake in season with the dance now being in February (joys of flying by the seat of your pants) so that has been addressed in previous chapters for those of you that may have noticed… Sorry!_

 _2/21/18 Update: Very minor fixes as I prepare to tackle additions to this story! :)_

* * *

Ichigo was running late the next morning. After leaving Orihime's, he was barely home for twenty minutes, wolfing down his family's leftover dinner, before the soul badge went off again. This time he went out solo, which he found lonely for the first time ever, and was kept out for nearly two hours as hollow after hollow appeared. By the time he got home, he could do little more than collapse into bed before sleep took him. He had slept so deeply, so encompassed in mind-numbing _nothing_ , that even the annoyingly persistent buzzing of his alarm didn't wake him up – until Kon pounced on his head.

"Ichigo!" The substitute soul reaper didn't respond so he jumped again. "ICHIGO!"

"What?!" he snapped, swiping a hand over his head to knock the mod-soul stuffed lion off of him and immediately dropping back into sleep after he buried his head under his pillow.

"Your alarm's been going off for twenty minutes! You better get a move on!"

Soft, padded feet now removed from his head, Ichigo was already beyond Kon's grasp until the mod-soul jumped onto him once more. " _ICHIGO!"_ he screamed, grabbing tufts of orange hair and pulling as hard as he could. "If you don't get up, one of your sisters is going to come in here and find me!"

The threat meant nothing to Ichigo. In fact, he liked that Yuzu unintentionally put Kon in his place every now and then. Served him right for taking certain liberties with his body. Besides, he was just too tired to care. But, the more Kon jumped on him and aggravated him, the more his alarm irritated him, so with enough anger to make even Kisuke pause, Ichigo ripped the pillow from his head and hurled it at the unsuspecting stuffed lion, slamming him into the wall. Fumbling for his phone, he turned the alarm off and was about to drop his head back onto his bed when he caught sight of the time. _"WHAT?!"_ he shrieked, sitting bolt upright in bed.

Peeling himself off of the wall and landing on Ichigo's discarded pillow, Kon stuck up his fisted paw. "I _tried_ to tell you!"

Ichigo wasn't listening. He needed to leave the house in less than ten minutes! Looking down, he debated if he could get away without showering – he had battled hollows last night, true, but not in his body. Then he thought of walking Orihime to school and his mind was made up as he dashed for the shower, narrowly avoiding tromping on Kon in the process.

By the time he arrived at Orihime's, she was already at the bottom of her steps, prepared to walk to school without him. She had waited for as long as she dared, her heart pounding in her chest as she feared the worst, even though she could sense his wildly fluctuating reiatsu. When he came trotting into sight, his hair even messier than usual, his shirt untucked, and his jacket unzipped, she couldn't help but smile. "Kurosaki-kun!"

"Sorry I'm late!" he called, raising an arm in greeting. He didn't stop trotting until he was at her side. "Too bad I can't go to school as a soul reaper," he sighed, hardly out of breath despite his rushed trek. "I could have gotten here _a lot_ faster."

She looked at him from the corner of her eye, a small smile still glued to her lips. It was so unusual to see Ichigo flustered and out of sorts – it meant something to her that he was willing to let her see him like this. "Rough morning?" she asked as they headed toward Karakura High.

Ichigo snorted and rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't want to burden Orihime with his problems. It wasn't her fault he spent half the night battling hollows. "You could say that," he reluctantly admitted. When she continued to look at him expectantly, her eyes shining in the sunlight, he elaborated, "Let's just say I didn't get much sleep last night."

Her arm brushed against his and she gasped, immediately stepping further away even though she didn't want to. She wanted to pull her arm away, as though the touch burned, but it was more because her true instinct was to hold onto his hand instead. _What's wrong with me?!_ What she didn't know, was that Ichigo's fingers twitched at the contact, just the smallest movement as he fought the urge to grab her hand as well and prolong the contact. "I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun," she breathed, her cheeks warming. "Those hollows can be so inconsiderate!"

Chuckling, Ichigo couldn't get over the flash in Orihime's eyes as her hands clenched into angry fists. She looked like she was ready to give those hollows a piece of her mind and a lesson in manners, as though they would listen. "I'm sure being considerate is the _last_ thing on their mind."

Sensing the taunt in his voice, she smiled shyly, brushing her hair back behind her ear as she so often did when she was nervous. Just being in Ichigo's presence made her feel warm all over, even though the day was considerably colder than the day before. "They could still do with some etiquette lessons!" She pounded a fist into her open palm to demonstrate her point.

A smile still toying with his lips, Ichigo shrugged, forcing himself to pull his eyes from the healer at his side before she realized he was staring at her. Even though she was wearing their school uniform, something he saw her in every day, she was breathtaking. She wore black socks that came up to her thighs in an attempt to battle the cold, her gray skirt still allowing ample view of her slender legs. Her hips swayed when she walked, the skirt swirling with her movements and emphasizing them. She wore the typical white button-down shirt of Karakura High, with the beige sweater over it to compensate for the cold; but even with those extra layers and her fluffy white coat over them, she could not hide her natural hourglass figure and the easy way she moved. Although she could be the most clumsy person he knew, she could also be the most graceful, her hair swinging easily side-to-side against her back as she walked without a care in the world at his side. _I could get used to this._

' _You_ are _getting used to it, King.'_

For once, Ichigo didn't argue with his hollow because there was no point. Instead, he scoffed, still smiling, and readjusted his book bag on his shoulder. "Well, if anyone could teach them proper manners, it would be you, Inoue."

His gentle words, a _compliment_ that wasn't even hidden, took Orihime by surprise, and she looked up at him with wide eyes. Her heart fluttered pleasantly beneath her ribs as her cheeks grew pink. Although her belly felt full of butterflies, it also felt pleasantly warm and fuzzy. "Kurosaki-kun," she breathed.

Knowing he couldn't trust himself if he looked at her, Ichigo smiled, revealing his true smile he shared only with her, and gently elbowed her in the side; careful to keep his eyes from hers or else he'd risk saying or doing something stupid. "Come on, let's get to class."

When Ichigo picked up the pace, Orihime had no choice but to follow, her heart confused about his actions just as much as it was excited. _Does this mean I_ should _ask him?!_ She was beginning to hope.

* * *

Despite his fatigue, the day flew. They spent some of the morning reviewing for the test the next day, but not long enough for any of the students' liking, leading to a steady grumbling throughout the room as the lunch bell rang. As had become habit, Ichigo waited for Orihime as she gathered her things (although he was discreet about it, making it seem as though he was just taking his time gathering his own belongings) and they headed up to the roof to meet the rest of their group. The fact that they arrived together was not missed by Tatsuki, who smiled to herself as Orihime sat between her and Ichigo, much to Chizuru's disapproval.

The group had barely started eating before Uryu brought up the dreaded exam that was to take place the following day. "Anyone up for studying tonight?" he asked, his glasses flashing.

Ichigo glanced at Orihime, who happened to be looking at him at the time, but stoically remained quiet, his expression unreadable. While they had talked about it, they hadn't made actual plans... Sado answered first. "I could use some more review," his deep voice rumbled. Ichigo wasn't surprised Uryu and Chad were the first two to volunteer – next to Orihime and him, they had also missed a lot of school.

"Me too," Tatsuki admitted, still eying the two at her side.

Ichigo swallowed. He had a good idea where this was heading and already a small fire of jealousy lit in the pit of his stomach, even though he immediately tried to smother it.

"As much as I don't want to," Keigo whined.

"He needs it," Mizuiro finished.

Chizuru was the next to opine, "Me too!" Her eyes sparkled as she eyed Orihime hungrily, who pointedly disregarded the look. Ichigo and Tatsuki glowered at her.

It wasn't exactly how she had planned it, but Orihime seized the opportunity that presented itself. Still holding her chopsticks in hand, she looked up at the group around them. "We could have another study session at my house tonight?" she offered, her eyes sliding to Ichigo for only a moment, but still bringing heat to her cheeks when his warm brown eyes met hers. The heat only intensified when a resounding acceptance of her offer echoed around the group, including one from Ichigo. His was the only answer that mattered. "Great!" she exclaimed, taking a bite of her red bean paste smothered rice to hide her sudden nervousness.

Keigo looked around at his friends, mirth lurking in his eyes. "So," he started, waiting for everyone to look at him. "Who has a date for the dance?" When no one answered, he pointedly looked at the girls. "Come on, it's barely a week away! Ladies?" They looked away, averting their eyes as their cheeks darkened – all except for Tatsuki, who glared at him defiantly. Getting nowhere there, he turned to the boys. "Guys?" When the guys (all except for Mizuiro, who had his nose in his phone) looked at him with raised eyebrows, Ichigo with a scowl to match, Keigo's true motive in bringing up the dance again came out as he giggled, barely attempting to cover his mouth with his hand in an attempt to hide it. He knew he was tempting death in saying this, but he _had_ to! When was the last time he had anything to tease _Ichigo_ about? _Ichigo?!_ "Guess we know you're safe, huh, Ichigo?" All eyes snapped to him, and his laughter continued, growing until his words could barely be understood. Ichigo's scowl deepened, his hand tightening around his chopsticks until they snapped. "No one's going to ask you!"

"Like I care!" Ichigo retorted, his eyebrow twitching. He hated the fact that he could feel his face growing warm. "I'm not going anyway," he snapped. "Even if someone asks me."

"Which they aren't," Uryu chimed, earning him a glare.

Tatsuki had been looking at Orihime, whose mouth had fallen open slightly, her eyes wide as she stared at her food. Her hands were trembling, even though she gripped her bento box in an attempt to hide it. "And you think they're going to be lining up to ask _you?_ " she countered, grinning slyly as Keigo's lips quivered in a frown. _Oh, Ichigo, why'd you have to say such a thing?!_ She wanted to beat him to a pulp.

No one but Tatsuki noticed the change in Orihime's demeanor, the downcast look to her eyes as she picked at her food more than ate it. _Does Ichigo really mean that?_ She couldn't help but wonder, despite the fact that she now knew she _couldn't_ ask him, despite what she had felt that morning… Her eyes stung with tears that she refused to shed.

"Got my date!" Mizuiro exclaimed, holding up his phone in triumph. The remaining friends rolled their eyes with a collective groan.

"Awe, Mizuiro! Don't rub it in!" Keigo whined.

"Stop it. It's not like anyone else has a date, right?" Tatsuki asked, pointedly raising an eyebrow as she looked at the others.

"Are you asking as…" Uryu's voice trailed off, looking at her from over his glasses with a smirk.

"What?! No!" she jerked back, crinkling her face in disgust at the idea as she pointedly avoided looking at Sado. She glanced at Ichigo out of the corner of her eye, noting that he had noticed Orihime was still staring at her food, her hair casting her face in shadow, her eyes obviously downcast. _Say something you ass!_ But she knew he wouldn't.

"I'll ask-" Chizuru started, before Ichigo interrupted her.

"Do we have to keep talking about this?" Ichigo growled, tossing his broken chopsticks back into his bento box with enough force that they almost bounced right back out. "It's just a stupid dance."

"Yeah, but it's the first one where the girls," Keigo started.

"So what?" Ichigo snapped, turning blazing eyes on his friend. He didn't know how it happened, but he'd figured out something in the conversation had upset Orihime, and that made him mad.

"You might feel differently if someone asked you, Ichigo," Tatsuki finally chided, her eyes dark when he turned to look at her. His eyes still spit fire, until hers challenged him, and her glare told him _he'd_ done something wrong.

 _What the hell did I do_ now _?!_ "I'm going back to class," he grumbled, gathering his things and rising to his feet before anyone could stop him. How had what had actually turned into a pleasant morning, despite its rough start, digressed into something like this? _Damn it! I need coffee…_

"Awe, come on, Ichigo!" Keigo whined.

"Shut up," he grumbled, not even caring if he upset his friend as he left their small gathering. Only one thought was on his mind. _What's wrong with Inoue?_

Once Ichigo was gone, Orihime slowly came back to herself, but she still only nibbled at her food and kept quiet. Tatsuki wanted to talk to her, but didn't want to bring any unwanted attention their way, especially with all the prying eyes. It wasn't until the warning bell rang that they found some time alone as they walked back to class. "Hey, you okay?" Tatsuki asked, gently elbowing Orihime in the side.

Orihime was barely holding back tears. "Tatsuki, there's no way I can ask him! You heard what he said!"

Tatsuki ground her teeth and threw a comforting arm around her best friend's shoulders. "Ichigo's an idiot. He didn't mean what he said. You know him, he's just trying to keep up the appearance of not caring."

Her eyes on the floor in front of them, Orihime didn't buy it. "What if you're wrong? He _sounded_ like he meant it."

"Of course he did. He's good at that." She squeezed her shoulder. "But I'm telling you. If _you_ asked him, he wouldn't say no."

Orihime shook her head. "I can't! If he says no," she began.

Tatsuki's free hand clenched into a fist and she realized she would need to give Ichigo a very swift kick in the head, but at the same time, she couldn't let him know why. "I'm telling you, Orihime. He _won't!_ "

They were back at the classroom, so the time for talking was over, and they reluctantly separated. Orihime soundlessly took her seat, her hair mostly concealing her face as she avoided looking at Ichigo. Tatsuki, on the other hand, openly glared at him as she took her seat to the right and behind him. He saw her approach and felt her heated stare enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "What the hell, Tatsuki?" he grumbled once she was seated.

"You're an asshole!" she hissed.

"What? What'd I do?!"

They were whispering since class was about to start. Tatsuki wanted to tell him everything, even just by looking at, or in the direction of, her sulking best friend; but she also knew she couldn't betray Orihime's confidence like that. If Orihime wasn't ready to confess her feelings to the idiot, then she certainly couldn't and shouldn't interfere; but that didn't mean she couldn't help things along. "Sometimes you just need to think before you open your mouth."

He looked at her blankly, clearly confused. "What-"

"Kurosaki!"

Flinching, Ichigo turned around in his seat and prepared for the verbal lashing he would receive for talking in class. Beside him, Orihime was scarcely aware of what was going on, picking up on the sound of his voice as he apologized and said that what they were talking about was not more important than the lecture and that no, it was not worth sharing with the entire class so he would keep his mouth shut. She couldn't help but smile softly at that last part, and although her heart still ached, she looked at him, her hair spilling over her shoulder as she turned slightly in her chair. The movement caught his attention and his eyes shifted to hers as the lecture resumed.

Even when he was disgruntled, which was most of the time, Ichigo was perhaps the most handsome man Orihime had ever seen, but that didn't compare to the rare times that he smiled. Regardless, there was something to be said for the way his eyes flashed when he was angry, and they were flashing when they looked at her; but the moment their eyes met, they softened. That small change, hardly noticeable to those that didn't know him, made so many different thoughts and feelings rush through Orihime that she felt light-headed. Her heart swelled, nearly to the point of bursting as her stomach took flight and clenched at the same time. She felt shaky and warm all over, like those eyes could solve all of her problems, or cause them. That realization, and how deeply his words at lunch had wounded her, brought heat to her cheeks, and she quickly dropped her eyes, looking back to the window.

 _What the hell,_ Ichigo mused, suddenly finding himself staring at the back of Orihime's head.

Behind him, Tatsuki saw what just transpired and witnessed the way Ichigo's fingers twitched. He wanted to do something, but wasn't sure what – and that was his only outward way of showing it. Despite herself, she smiled. _Serves you right!_

* * *

By the end of the day, Ichigo was in a foul mood. Orihime's sudden melancholy bothered him, but he was irritated even further by the fact that his chance to talk to her after school was ruined when everyone decided to head straight to her house – _and she encouraged it!_ Their usual solitary walk turned into a herd of eight. There was no opportunity to talk to her; no chance to figure out what had soured her earlier happy disposition. Tatsuki seemed to be under the impression that it was somehow his fault, but he didn't see how that was possible – although that didn't stop him from trying to figure out what might have gone wrong.

So, as they made their way to Orihime's, he relegated himself to the back of the group; sauntering along with his hand shoved into his jacket pocket and his book bag slung casually over his shoulder. Although he pretended not to notice, he was ever aware of Chizuru's attempts to flirt with Orihime, who was blissfully ignorant (or very good at pretending) and Tatsuki's cold treatment toward him – both of which made him bristle with even more frustration, his usual frown turning into a downright scowl. Mizuiro had his nose buried in his phone but somehow managed to not run into anything. Keigo chatted with Mizuiro and the girls without a care in the world, whether they were listening or not. Uryu and Chad walked relatively close to Ichigo, but remained silent as well, sensing the substitute soul reaper's sour mood and wisely keeping their mouths shut – at least in Uryu's case. Chad simply had nothing to say.

They managed to arrive at Orihime's without incident and quickly dove into studying amidst a rabble of voices. To make room for everyone, the table in her living room was moved out of the way, pushed into the corner and allowing each their own spot on the floor. There was some jostling for positions in the now considerably more cramped space, given the increase in the number of bodies, but somehow Chizuru was relegated into the corner on the opposite side of Tatsuki, who held her at bay with threats of her fists. Ichigo found himself next to Tatsuki since Orihime wanted to be closest to the kitchen so she could be a proper hostess to her guests. This left Uryu to sit on her other side, who smirked at Ichigo as he pushed his glasses up, for no other reason than he knew it would further his aggravation. Chad sat next to him, while Keigo and Mizuiro joined Chizuru along the far wall.

It took some time to get the large group to focus, especially after Orihime offered snacks of rice cakes coated with peanut butter, anchovies, and red bean paste; but once everyone had some tea, they got down to business. Orihime once again found herself in more of a tutor's role than she expected, especially with the presence of their other classmates who didn't have the excuse of so many missed classes, but in the end she really didn't mind. She loved helping others and it helped to distract her from Ichigo's otherwise distracting presence.

They had been hitting the books for over three hours, and a much-needed break was just a few problems away when the dreaded soul badge went off in Ichigo's pocket. To those not accustomed to it, it sounded just like an ordinary cellphone alerting him of a message, but to the others, they knew exactly what it meant and looked at Ichigo with concern. They were too distracted to notice Tatsuki watching them curiously.

Clearing his throat, Ichigo tried not to draw any undue attention as he rose to his feet. "Excuse me."

"That your date for the dance?" Keigo teased, scarcely looking up from his math problem.

"Will you shut up about that?!" Ichigo roared as he threw his pencil at him, a trickle of satisfaction worming its way through his chest when Keigo shrieked as the pencil struck him in the side of the head.

"Hey!"

Ignoring his friend's angry retort, Ichigo quickly stepped outside, pretending to answer an important phone call. _Shit! What am I supposed to do? I can't just drop my body here, but I can't run home either._ He looked at the soul badge once more. _There's a_ group _of Menos? Why the hell are there so many?!_

Just as he was trying to sort out what he was going to say to the others, Orihime stepped out onto the porch, her smile soft and sad as she looked up at him while she gently closed the door. "You have to go?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer. She, Chad, and Uryu had all felt the rapid increase in spiritual pressure. He needed to get out of there, and fast. She hated the fact that he was going alone – the others wouldn't be able to leave without arising suspicion – but she also had faith in him and his abilities.

"Yeah," Ichigo sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Orihime surprised him with her next words. "Get your things and say you have to go home. Then come around to my bedroom window. You can leave your body in there."

"W-what?!" he balked.

Her eyes were sad even though she was smiling at him, but then the spiritual pressure from the Menos changed and she looked toward their direction, Ichigo immediately following her gaze as his brow furrowed. "I know you don't have time to run home to leave your body, and you can't very well leave it in front of the others." She forced herself to look back at him, her cheeks darkening. "So leave it in my room. It's fine."

He wanted to argue with her. He'd never been in her room before, let alone _left_ there! Sure, the situation kind of demanded it but somehow it all felt – wrong. "Right," he sighed. "O-Okay." Although he reluctantly agreed, he still felt uneasy, his stomach clenching nervously. This was not the way he ever imagined going into Orihime's room…

Something flashed in her eyes that he couldn't place as she turned around. "Then you better hurry," she murmured, stepping back inside.

Ichigo sucked in a breath as he prepared himself for the lie. Of course Uryu and Chad would see right through him, but what about the others? "Sorry guys," he started, bending down to collect his books. "My dad needs me at the clinic. I've got to go."

"Awe, Ichigo!" Keigo whined, his lower lip sticking out in a pout.

"What could he possibly need you for?" Tatsuki questioned.

Ichigo shot her a look. Her face was stern, her brow furrowed as she frowned at him. Although she was a well-known athlete, she was also no academic slouch - and she had the observational prowess to prove it. _Unfortunately._ "He didn't say, all right? He just said I needed to get home to help him out as soon as possible," he snapped before standing up and slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I'll see you guys later." He glanced over his shoulder at Orihime, granting her a soft smile that only she could see. "Thanks Inoue." Without waiting for any further detainments, he left.

Ichigo's smile and softly spoken words made Orihime gasp as her mind drifted. She was in her own world, her heart fluttering happily in her chest until she heard the solid closing of the door and remembered her duty. _Right!_ The others had already gone back to study, or so it appeared. _Should I say something like I need to go to the bathroom? Or just go?_ Her eyes roamed over each of her friends in turn. _No one's looking…_ With a shrug, she turned to head to her bedroom, not thinking anyone would question her and not wanting to interrupt them either. Even so, just to be safe, she locked her bedroom door behind her before unlocking and opening the window.

Her room was on the second story and Ichigo was not in his Shinigami form, so he had no choice but to climb the side of the building, finding himself incredibly lucky (for a change) that there was a lattice and vines growing beneath her window. He scaled it easily and she opened the window right as he reached the ledge and pulled himself up, level with her face, quicker than she expected. "Oh!" she gasped, shoving herself back.

Scarcely suppressing a laugh, Ichigo silently pulled himself inside and placed his bag on the floor. "Sorry, Inoue."

She smiled nervously, her cheeks pink as she clasped her hands in front of her. _Oh Kami! Ichigo Kurosaki is in my bedroom! He's in my bedroom!_ She squealed in her mind, both excited, nervous, and scared all in the same instant. Her blood pounded through her veins as she bounced on the balls of her feet, but she was so distracted that Ichigo had to get her attention. "Hey, Inoue?"

"Oh! Yes?" she asked, her eyes snapping open.

"Uh, where," he began scratching the back of his neck nervously. _Oh man! This is awkward!_

"Right!" She clasped her hands in front of her and looked around. There weren't many options and she wanted him to be comfortable, even if he wasn't 'in' his body. Her eyes landed on her bed, the only real source of comfort in the room. _But is_ that _okay?!_ "Um," she hesitated, her eyes on her bed and the little blue men running off with her thoughts again before she could reel them in. "Make yourself comfortable. You can use the bed, Kurosaki-kun."

"T-the b-bed?!" he whisper shouted, his eyes wide when he looked at her in shock.

She shrugged, her expression most innocent. "Sure. Why not?"

 _I can think of some reasons… But I really don't have time to argue about this…_ Running a hand through his hair, Ichigo shook his head. "I'll sit on the floor, Inoue."

More than a little disappointed, Orihime pouted but accepted his choice. Before she could say anything else, Ichigo spun around to sit on the floor, already slamming the soul badge to his chest. He'd already wasted too much time… "I really am sorry about this, Inoue," he professed as he rose to his feet once more, Zangetsu secure at his back.

Seeing Ichigo in his Shinigami form always took Orihime's breath away, and this was no exception. "Y-you're welcome, Kurosaki-kun," she breathed as he moved back toward the window. "Be safe."

He already had one foot on the windowsill, preparing to jump out, but he turned to look at her over his shoulder, offering her a smile that made her breath catch in her throat. "I will. I'll see you soon."

"Bye," she whispered, but he was already gone, her hair blowing back over her shoulder from the force of his departure.

* * *

The Menos were more difficult and troublesome than Ichigo wanted to admit. Granted, individually they no longer presented him with much of a challenge; it was in their sheer number. They just kept coming! And when their numbers finally declined, hollows started coming instead. "What the hell is going on?!" Ichigo shouted in frustration as he cut down his thirtieth Menos Grande and a hollow barreled toward him.

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo immediately turned toward the voice. _Thank Kami!_ "Rukia?!" She joined him a moment later and they faced opposite directions, expertly brandishing their weapons. "Where the hell have you been?" Ichigo ground out.

"Busy," she retorted.

"As you can see, so have I." They took off in their respective directions, slashing down hollows with just one or two strikes at a time. Now that he had help, Ichigo felt better, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.

"Where is everyone else?" Rukia asked as they fought.

"Long story." She grunted in response as another Menos appeared. They took it down together. "You know why there are so many of them all of a sudden?" Rukia frowned and something in her eye told him she did, especially when she averted her gaze. "Tell me!"

The Menos were gone and after a few more minutes, they took care of the rest of the hollows, both panting and tired, but relatively uninjured. "Rukia, tell me what's going on," Ichigo demanded.

Rukia looked at the gash on Ichigo's arm before meeting his eyes. "The R and D department was working on another method for souls and soul reapers to travel between the sereitei and the world of the living. Something went wrong."

Ichigo's frown deepened with that answer, a line appearing between his brows as he replaced Zangetsu at his back. "What the hell would they need to do that for?"

She shrugged as she sheathed her zanpakuto. She had been wondering the same thing. "I don't know."

Sighing, Ichigo looked at the sky and realized how late it was. "Shit. I've got to get back."

"Get back?"

He turned, hiding the rising heat in his cheeks. "My body's at Inoue's."

"What?!"

* * *

 _A/N: Well, I'm sorry for trolling you AGAIN!_ _I hope you enjoyed this update. I am sorry it took me so long to post, but I've been busy. There was originally more in this chapter but I decided to split it here rather than a more awkward place later (thanks to space limits on DeviantArt). I want to thank you all again and again_ _for all the wonderful reviews, follows, and favorites, especially you, suzaanoelofse01!_ _It really motivates and inspires me to work more on this story, which has rapidly evolved from what was originally just going to be a one-shot. I greatly_ _appreciate you all! And always, comments and reviews are always welcome!_

 _I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. If I did, there would be more romance involved! They all belong to Tite Kubo._


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: 2/21/18 Update: Just some minor adjustments/typo fixes as I prepare to work on additions to this story. :)_

* * *

By the time he returned, Ichigo could sense that everyone else had already left. Orihime was alone in her apartment, so he had no qualms about knocking on her door, even in his current state. It wasn't really necessary, for she could sense him and knew the moment he was even close, but he still preferred to stand on ceremony and not take her powers for granted. He didn't want to take _anything_ for granted…

"Kurosaki-kun!" she greeted cheerily the moment she opened the door. Her smile was her genuine, happy smile again. The signs of sadness from earlier gone, as she smiled so widely her eyes shut. It was her most endearing smile, the smile he loved.

"Hey, Inoue. I'm sorry it took me so long."

She waved his concern off as he stepped inside and followed her back to her bedroom. "Don't worry about it! Everyone got lots of studying done," her voice trailed off as her eyes widened in shock. "Oh no! What about you?!"

He looked back at her, startled, and shrunk back a little bit. "Wha-what about me?"

"Your studying!" she shrieked as though him missing out on studying was just as bad as losing an arm.

Flooded with relief, Ichigo shrugged. He didn't _really_ know what time it was and didn't want to continue to impose, or assume it was acceptable to do so. "I'll look over some things when I get home. It'll be fine."

For the first time since he returned, Orihime realized he was injured, her eyes suddenly drawn to the torn fabric of his Shihakusho, his skin and blood visible beneath. "Kurosaki-kun," she breathed, stepping forward and touching the skin around the wound without thinking about it. Her hands were cold and he jerked slightly in response to her touch, a soft hiss escaping between his teeth. She gasped at his reaction and quickly pulled her hands away. "Oh! I-I'm sorry!"

He chuckled and scratched the back of his neck, feeling his face heating up as he looked away and cursing it. "Don't be. Y-your hands are just cold."

She smiled at that and it made him smile as she rubbed her hands together to warm them while she looked at the wound once more. Her eyes grew serious as she called forth her fairies, uttering just the softest of commands. She didn't need them anymore, she'd figured out in Las Noches that she could call on her fairies with her thoughts alone, but sometimes uttering the command made her feel tethered to the present, like a reminder of a time when she was just beginning to understand her abilities. In the case of Ichigo, the commands themselves practically served as a barrier – keeping her from envisioning healing his lifeless body after Ulquiorra attacked him. Healing him just so Grimmjow could fight him… But at least he'd been healed.

The moment Orihime finished muttering the call for her Soten Kisshun, Ichigo was immediately surrounded by its warm yellow dome. The familiar flare of gentle heat took root in his wound before slowly morphing into heated tingling (although not unpleasant). While it started in his wounds as she healed them, particularly his arm, it quickly spread to the rest of him, easing his taut muscles and lowering his heart rate as the soothing warmth encompassed his very being.

It was good for Orihime to have something to do to distract her. After the others had left, Tatsuki stayed behind, convincing her to talk to Ichigo. She'd drilled it in her head so hard, Orihime was sure Tatsuki was going to pop out of her mouth and ask Ichigo for her if she didn't do it herself. Tatsuki had reminded her of the subtle changes in their relationship since she'd returned, since _Ichigo_ brought her back. How they spent more time together, how lately every time they were together they were sitting side-by-side, how Ichigo seemed happier and more at ease when she was around, how he was even more protective of her than he used to be – and she'd used those facts to convince Orihime to do it, despite his brash comment at lunch. Once Tatsuki had left, she had nervously paced her apartment, frantically worrying her hands as she tried to figure out what to do and what to say when Ichigo came back. She even practiced in front of his body! _That_ was embarrassing! But even so, she was going to ask him!

"Kurosaki-kun?" she murmured as she healed him. The wound on his arm was the worst, but he had more. She supposed she should have had him sit down rather than just stand awkwardly in the middle of the room, but it was too late to change that now.

"Hmm?" he asked, slowly opening his eyes. Her Soten Kisshun always relaxed him, made him feel like he was in a warm bath that would lull him to sleep at any moment – it didn't matter that he was standing. He was surrounded in her warm glow and was completely at ease.

"I know you said you wouldn't go," she started, her cheeks darkening and heating up with each word as she anxiously shifted her feet. Stubbornly avoiding his eyes, she watched her fairies reject his injuries. "But, I was wondering if… if you would go to the dance with me?" she rushed. When a moment of silence greeted her she quickly added, "As my friend." In an attempt at self-preservation, she tucked her chin down, her face virtually on fire as the words tumbled out of her mouth.

Ichigo's mouth fell open. _WHAT?!_ _Did I hear that right?_ "What?" he blurted without thinking.

She finally looked up, her eyes widening when she saw the look of utter surprise on Ichigo's face. His eyes were wide, his eyebrows arched, and his mouth slack. It was really almost comical, and would have been, if she didn't feel like her heart was being held captive by a very precariously balancing boulder – a teetering balancing boulder. Just like the last time she tried to ask, her stomach clenched, and she felt in very real danger of throwing up. "If you don't," she began, immediately lowering her eyes back to her fairies so that her bangs hid her face. Her eyes were already stinging and she bit her tongue to force the tears away.

Her eyes had been so wide, so _open_ , when she looked up at him, that for a moment, Ichigo had lost awareness of anything and everything else. He could only focus on the gray orbs before him, wavering and shimmering with the violet depths lingering just beneath the surface. Those eyes killed him… But then she looked away, and the pain she was trying so desperately to hide was obvious as she shifted her feet nervously, her hands trembling as they kept healing him despite the awkwardness. He suddenly understood exactly what had happened at lunch and wanted to kick himself. _I'm such an ass!_ Without thinking, he placed his hand on her wrist to get her attention – clearly she was distracted, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to get through the barrier. "That's not what I said," he murmured, ducking his head so he could see her easier.

"What?" she gasped, her eyes flying to his once more.

He smiled crookedly, not a smirk, but not a full smile. Orihime's heart melted and if she wasn't doing such an important task, she felt certain her legs would have stopped supporting her. He wasn't aware of doing it, but his thumb moved, gently rubbing against the inside of her wrist in an attempt to soothe her. The touch was so tender, so gentle, that it made chills trickle up her arm as her stomach rolled pleasantly. "Of course I'll go with you, Inoue."

His answer came so effortlessly, so smoothly, that Orihime's hands fell away from him to smack her legs limply. _Of course I'll go with you,_ she repeated over and over in her mind, still not able to believe what she'd just heard, even as her heart did all the believing for her as it galloped away at a mile a minute within her chest. _Oh, Kami! He said yes!_ Her eyes wide, her Soten Kisshun dissolved, and she stepped away, the movement more of a stagger.

Ichigo had been warily watching Orihime's reaction from the other side of her Soten Kisshun, not sure what he was seeing. It was pure instinct that drove him forward when she staggered, placing a hand near her back in case she fell. She managed to keep her balance and he found himself cursing that fact because then he had no excuse to touch her. _Wait, what the hell is wrong with me?! That's horrible!_

"B-but y-you said," she began.

He raised an eyebrow at her and cocked his head. "Are you arguing with me?"

His voice had been low and soft, gentle with no indication of reprisal, but she still waved her hands back and forth in front of her, quickly shaking her head. "No! Of course not! I just," she stopped, her brow furrowed as she looked up at him. "I don't understand."

She was so flabbergasted by his answer, it was almost too much to _witness._ He could only imagine what was actually going on _inside_ her mind. He wanted to shake her, hug her, and kiss her all at the same time. To keep himself from doing anything of the sort, he folded his arms across his chest. "I know what I said, but I didn't think _you'd_ ask me."

When she stared at him, their eyes solidly locked, it was as though the air was electrically charged between them. A pleasant shiver made its way down Orihime's spine, making Ichigo swallow dryly. Neither of them said a thing as they stood, staring into the other's eyes, and it was in that moment that Ichigo admitted to himself just how much more he wanted. He wanted the freedom to touch her; to know her thoughts better than anyone (even though that might be dangerous territory), and to share parts of himself with her that no one else knew. He wanted the ability to kiss her after a battle, like he so nearly had the previous night, and not think twice about it. He wanted the right to pummel any guy that looked at her the wrong way. He wanted to protect her, and yet expose her to the horrors that were _his family!_ He'd never felt this way for anyone else, and the feeling was so strong, like a moth drawn to a flame, that it was hard to push away. She'd asked to go as his friend, so that's what he'd do, but he wasn't satisfied with being just her friend. Not anymore. He wanted so much more. But he couldn't tell her that, could he?

The way her eyes shimmered up at his, pink dusting her normally alabaster cheeks, her hands clasped before her chest, he realized how his previous answer sounded and quickly added, "Besides, you said this is just as friends, right?" He chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his suddenly quite warm neck. _Fucking coward!_ He growled at himself, scratching harder than was necessary out of frustration and somehow resisting the temptation to curl his hands into aggravated fists at his own gutlessness.

"Right!" She smiled.

' _Friends?! Seriously?! You're going to pull_ that _card?!'_

Ichigo's smile fell the moment his hollow interrupted, but he hid it by returning to his body. Orihime caught the uncomfortable flash in his eye and immediately knew something wasn't right. "Kurosaki-kun?"

He sat down into his body and stood back up before responding. "Thanks for healing me, Inoue."

' _Seriously, King?! Why the fuck did you do that?!'_ When Ichigo didn't respond, his hollow practically howled in frustration. He could relate, feeling like something precious had just slipped through his fingers, but he wouldn't give in. _'Stop ignoring me, damn it!'_

"Did anyone give you any trouble?" he asked, returning to her side. The fact that they were still in her room, and he was now in his own body was not lost on him, but he forced such thoughts away.

Still in shock by what had just transpired, Orihime shook her head. "We got a little worried there for a while," she admitted with a delicate blush darkening her features. "Ishida-san and Sada-kun were about to leave to help you when we sensed Rukia-chan's presence." She tilted her head to the side, her hair spilling over her shoulder and her concern for him evident in her gaze. "I'm glad you weren't out there alone."

Ichigo frowned, remembering Rukia's words. Could this happen again? "Yeah," he sighed.

Sensing his disquiet, Orihime turned to lead the way to the kitchen. "Would you like some tea, Kurosaki-kun?"

Grabbing his bag, Ichigo followed, not able to stop himself from watching the sway of her hips as she walked, and the way her hair swung to the opposite side of each step. Here she was, showing him her grace – and not for the first time – and he was struck speechless, until she turned and looked at him curiously. "Sure," he quickly answered before glancing at his watch. _Shit!_ "You sure it isn't too late?"

Already setting the teakettle on the stove, Orihime shook her head. She didn't care what time it was; she wasn't the least bit tired after worrying over Ichigo's wellbeing with the sheer number of Menos and hollows he was facing, and then the anxiety over asking him to the dance. _But he said yes!_ He _said_ yes! _We're going to the dance together! In just over a week!_ The little blue men intruded then, and she was lost in her own imagination. _She'd open her door for him and there he'd be – Ichigo in a suit…_ She nearly sighed out loud, her hand fluttering to her heart as it started pounding. _His arms around her while they moved on the dance floor…_ _Oh, it's so romantic!_ She wanted to scream out her excitement, but couldn't do that with him _standing right there._ _Oh! I've got to tell Tatsuki!_ Her fist smacked into her open palm as she realized this.

Ichigo watched as some inner dialogue took place he wasn't privy to. The old Ichigo would have been irritated she wasn't answering. But now, the expressions flittering across Orihime's face, lighting up her eyes with excitement and then sharpening her features with determination made him smile as he peered at her. "Uh, Inoue?"

Forgetting he had even asked her a question, she turned, a confused and innocent smile on her face. "Huh?"

 _What was she just thinking about,_ he found himself wondering. Sometimes he would kill to know what was going on in that overactive brain of hers, and other times he was terrified of knowing. This was one of those times that he _wanted_ to know. "You sure it isn't too late?" he repeated.

Finally looking at the clock on her stove, Orihime shrugged. It was after nine, but it felt natural to have him there. _Like he belongs here…_ She smacked her hands to her cheeks at the thought. _No, Orihime, no! Kurosaki-kun is your friend! He agreed to go to the dance with you, but as your friend! Stop it!_ Her cheeks pink, from her blush and her own smack, she shook her head. "It's fine. You've earned some tea."

 _What the hell?_ He cocked his head as he looked at her with one eyebrow raised, completely unsure what to think. She saved him by moving to the table. "You want to review anything?"

He swallowed, math the absolute last thing on his mind, but he sat down beside her anyway. He didn't want to leave just yet. "Can you show me how to do this again?" he asked, pulling out his math book with an internal growl at his own cowardice. Orihime was all too happy to oblige.

* * *

When Ichigo returned home, he was more than a little surprised to find Rukia sitting on his bed, reading a manga. His eyebrow twitched in irritation. He'd lost track of time at Orihime's, both in studying and just enjoying each other's company; so by the time he got home it was after eleven and everyone else was asleep. He'd made himself some quick leftovers before coming upstairs, completely taken by surprise to find his room already occupied by the tiny raven-haired Shinigami. "What are you doing here?" he snapped as he dropped his book bag on the floor.

"Hello to you too," she replied, scarcely looking up from the manga she was reading.

Cognizant of the others in the house, Ichigo lowered his voice as he approached her, leaning dangerously over the bed and casting her small form in his shadow. "Why are you hanging out in _my_ room? Don't you have your own room now?"

He finally got her attention. She looked up at him with bored, disinterested eyes, even though she was ready to strangle him for information. "Why was your body at Orihime's?"

He startled, jerking back from his position of leaning over her. _Shit, I forgot about telling her that…_ "Because I was studying with Inoue."

Her mouth fell open in shock, her violet eyes widening. "You what?!" she barked, finally placing a bookmark in her manga as she snapped it shut.

Heat rose in Ichigo's cheeks at her reaction and it only made him madder. "What's so hard to believe about that?"

Her surprise melted into sly curiosity as a wry smile appeared on her lips that immediately set Ichigo's nerves on edge. "Were you two alone?" The insinuation was clear in her tone.

 _Damn it. Why do I even tell her anything?!_ He turned to sit down at his desk before he finally answered her. "By the time we finished with the Menos and hollows, everyone else had left. So, yeah, why?"

She gasped, her eyes growing even wider, as did her smile. "Ichigo!" She leaned forward, hungry, like she was about to get some juicy gossip. It made him lean back, wary. "And what took you so long to come home?"

"What are you? My mother?" He felt like she was picking him apart, something she had an irritating knack for, and hated it. Out of all people, she could read him better than anybody… He had planned on telling her about the dance when he saw her, but now he was having serious second thoughts.

"Ichigo!"

"What?!"

She was grinning when he finally looked at her, careful to keep his face neutral, other than the usual frown he always wore. "About time," she answered, smiling smugly.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what it's supposed to mean," she retorted.

Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We just studied, all right? Some of us actually _have_ to go to school and pass."

Her smile diminished but didn't entirely leave. "Well, I guess we are talking about _you_ after all, so I can't be totally surprised."

"What the hell does that mean?!" he snapped.

"It means you're an idiot!"

Her words surprised him, and for once he sat, staring in mute silence. She was one of the few people that could get away with talking to him so harshly – it was part of their relationship. After a while, Rukia returned to reading her manga, ignoring the fact that Ichigo was still sitting there, his mouth hanging slightly open, his hands limp on the desk, as he stared at the wall, his thoughts running. Several moments passed before he suddenly blurted, "You know she thought I was in love with you?"

The water Rukia had been drinking was suddenly in Ichigo's face. "WHAT?!" she squealed, laughter quickly following as water dribbled down her chin and out her nose.

Scowling, Ichigo found a cloth to clean his face with. Ironically, he couldn't even be that mad at her reaction – if he had been drinking when Orihime asked him, he probably would have done the same thing. "I told her she couldn't be more wrong, " he corrected with a self-satisfied twist to his lips.

"She seriously?! What?! She thought?!" Still giggling, Rukia tried wiping up the mess she made as she tried to string together a coherent sentence. "Oh, Orihime!" she cackled, giving up and falling onto her back as laughter consumed her once more.

Chuckling, Ichigo shook his head. "I'm glad you find it so amusing."

Wiping tears from her eyes, Rukia took a deep breath. "I guess I can see _why_ she'd think that."

"But no," he interrupted.

"But no," she quickly agreed.

"Good." He nodded tersely as though it closed the subject.

"Glad we can agree on something." She smiled.

Ichigo found a spot on his desk incredibly interesting and picked at it. "You know, she-she asked me to this dance we're having at school," he rushed, feeling his cheeks warm once more as his mind returned to the moment she asked him, and the realization that quickly came afterwards.

Rukia had been in the soul society for a while, so she didn't even know a dance was coming. "Oh? What dance?"

He still couldn't look at her. "The Valentine's Day dance."

The room was so silent and so still, that he looked at her nervously out of the corner of his eye. She sat with the manga forgotten in her lap, her lips parted, as she stared at him. "And _she_ asked _you_?"

"Well, it's a girls ask the guys kind of thing I guess. They call it a Sadie Hawkins."

She perked up then, clapping her hands together as the light bulb went off in her mind. "Oh! I've heard of those!" Darkness entered her eyes a moment later. "And what did you say to her?" she practically growled.

Immediately defensive, Ichigo held up his hands. "What are you looking at me like that for? I said yes!"

This time, Rukia's gasp was genuine as hearts all but shone in her eyes. "Y-you did?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Why wouldn't I?"

Something in his voice didn't fit the situation and Rukia's eyes narrowed as she observed him with those keen dark eyes. "Ichigo, you do understand what it means to ask someone to a dance, right?"

Scowling, Ichigo suppressed the urge to throw something at her. "Seriously?! Of course I do!" When she continued to stare right through him with her eyes, he continued. "But she said it was just as friends."

She sighed and pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose in irritation. "You're an idiot."

"What?!"

Rukia closed her eyes in exasperation, folded her arms across her chest, and tilted her chin up slightly in disdain. "You heard me."

His scowl darkened into a glower, his reiatsu spiking. "You can get the hell out."

Her eyes snapped open, their violet depths blazing. "Orihime asked you to the dance! I may not know everything about the world of the living, but I know what it means to ask someone to a dance!"

"She said it was just as friends!" he repeated.

"And that's why you're an idiot!"

His eyes narrowed as he glared at her. While he couldn't pretend to understand the world of girls and women, he also didn't believe he was truly ignorant either – he had two sisters after all. "What's that supposed to mean?" He was beginning to feel like a broken record.

"Seriously?!" She threw her hands up in frustration. "What does she even see in you? You're impossible!"

"Hey!"

"Did she lead with that, or end with that?"

Surprised by the sudden and apparent randomness of the question, Ichigo continued to stare at her. _Where is she going with this?_ "Ended with it."

"See?!" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "She said that because of how you were reacting to soften the blow. It got awkward. She panicked. She thought you were going to say no. Take your pick of reasons, but actually _wanting_ to go as your friend isn't one of them."

Not for the first time that night, Ichigo found himself completely flabbergasted. Why were women so confusing?! Hollows and Menos and even Espada were nothing compared to this. "What?" he breathed, his heart rate picking up on its own as his stomach flipped.

"Oh, Kami! You're hopeless!" she screamed.

"Inoue," he breathed, his eyes falling to the floor. _Does-does she feel the same way I do? Is that even possible?_

From her perch on the bed, Rukia watched the light dawn in Ichigo's eyes, as well as the uncertainty dancing behind them. It had taken him a while to let his guard down around her, but now it was something she was quite proud of. They were practically best friends, and he was certainly _her_ best friend, especially among the living. While they never were and never would be romantic, they were still close. She was the one who had changed Ichigo's life, showing him the realm of soul reapers and giving him access to the power he was now so well known for. He was the one who showed her there was a whole other side to living. His stubborn refusal to obey tradition had finally broken her out of her shell and opened her to the whole realm of possibilities that that presented. He showed her she could be and do more than just be a soul reaper. He felt like he owed her for forever altering the path he was on, but she also felt like she owed him.

Rukia considered herself a big supporter of Ichigo and Orihime, if they would just get their shit together. Any and all doubt about his feelings for the girl had been erased with his actions leading up to their sneaking in to Hueco Mundo. True, he had done something very similar for her, but she'd heard things about what happened – Ichigo didn't react like that just to the sound of her own name. That was something reserved just for Orihime…

"So? Are you going to mess this up?"

His eyes finally rose to meet hers again. It was a rare emotion for her to see, but she saw it there nonetheless. Ichigo Kurosaki was afraid.

* * *

 _A/N: Finally! This whole story I've been waiting to put, 'You're an idiot!' in here and it finally made it! Sheesh! LoL. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this update. I got it out quicker than expected since I had to split the last chapter. I'm not sure I'm 100% satisfied with the very end, but I wanted some inner thoughts from Rukia too..._

 _As always, thank you so much for favoriting, following, and reviewing! It means the world to me and helps to keep the updates coming! S_ _uzaanoelofse01, you always put a smile on my face!_

 _Of course, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo._


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Once again, conversations between Ichigo/Hollow Ichigo will be in_ _ **BOLD.**_

' _Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!'_

Tatsuki, who had been sound asleep until her phone went off, squinted at the suddenly bright screen in the darkness of her room. When she saw the message was from Orihime, her first gut reaction was to be worried, but then she realized that as ditzy as Orihime could be, she would not be _texting_ if something were seriously wrong. Once she unlocked her phone and saw Orihime's clearly excited or nervous message, she didn't have to wait long before another one popped up.

' _Tatsuki, I asked him! I REALLY asked him!'_

All sleepiness left Tatsuki's mind as her mouth fell open. _'What?! Seriously?!'_ She hit send, grumbling in her head that her best friend better not make her **ask** what his answer had been.

' _Yeah! I did it! AND HE SAID YES!'_

Tatsuki could picture Orihime on the other end, clutching her phone to her chest and squealing with delight. If she were standing, she would no doubt be twirling on one leg like a ballerina – and possibly falling over. If she were lying down, she would be rolling side-to-side like a stranded turtle. Both images made her smile, but not nearly as much as the knowledge that Ichigo had actually said yes! Beaming, she quickly replied, _'I TOLD you he would!'_ Privately, she cursed her luck for missing such an important event for two of the most important people in her life. Even so, she couldn't stop smiling for her best friend's good fortune.

On the other line, Orihime was acting exactly as Tatsuki pictured. She had texted her best friend nearly the moment Ichigo left, locking the door behind him as promised and running to her phone scarcely suppressing a squeal. She was still in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with her phone clutched happily to her chest – which felt ready to burst with excitement. The smile that pulled on her lips felt like it was going to be permanent, especially as she texted back, _'You were right.'_ With an exuberant squeal, she pushed off from the counter and twirled on her left foot, kicking her right leg out behind her.

A smug smile crossing her lips, Tatsuki's sass came through. _'Of course I was.'_ She waited a moment before adding, _'Did you ask as friends or…'_

Orihime looked at Tatsuki's message and felt her smile fall. True, it was what they had agreed to do in order to take the pressure off of themselves as well as the boys (not to mention, did Tatsuki even _like_ anyone?), but it did put a little damper on her celebration. She'd nearly asked just for the sake of asking, her words hanging in the air for the space of a breath – and she had received silence. The sound of his silence had been one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of her life, which seemed ridiculous given everything she and her friends had been through, but it was, and so she'd gone to the fallback plan and asked as his friend. It wasn't the same as going as his _date_ but it was close enough, wasn't it? _'Yes, it's as friends,'_ she finally admitted.

It had taken her so long to reply, Tatsuki had grown worried. The poor girl's disappointment came through in her response, making Tatsuki feel even worse. _I'm going to have to get the details of this tomorrow,_ she thought to herself before texting Orihime as much.

' _Right!'_

' _It's late, Orihime. Did he just leave?'_ Although Ichigo still preferred to think otherwise, Tatsuki was well aware of the supernatural occurrences in Karakura Town. She'd heard the soul badge go off, knowing exactly what it was (of course she knew what his _actual_ ringtone sounded like), and had picked up on Ichigo's and Orihime's strange behavior immediately afterward. Based on what knowledge she had gleaned from Orihime's previous confessions and her own observations, she knew Ichigo would be coming back after he dealt with whatever he had to deal with, even before Orihime had finally admitted it to her. She was part of the 'club', just not officially. Part of that knowledge stung after being friends with Ichigo for so long, but the wiser part of her understood his reasons for keeping quiet. He was trying to do what he did best – protect those he cared about – even if it was by keeping information from her (and the others) and occasionally lying to them about what he was up to. However, that knowledge did little to lessen the blow when she caught him in such lies, especially when Orihime got dragged into them. It was even worse when he lied right to her face, even if it was clear he hated to do it.

Heat rushed to Orihime's cheeks even though no one was there to see it. _'He did…'_

' _What were you two doing?!'_ Tatsuki's protective streak was awakened, and she decided she would kick Ichigo's ass, whether he was going to the dance with Orihime or not.

Completely unaware of how any of what they were doing could be seen as inappropriate, Orihime's brow furrowed. _'We studied, drank tea, and talked a bit.'_

Had Ichigo told her as much, she might not have believed him, but coming from Orihime, she knew it was the truth. _'Fine.'_ She waited a moment in silence before adding, _'It's late, Orihime. You should get some sleep.'_

Orihime frowned at her phone, Tatsuki's words surprisingly similar to Ichigo's own parting words moments before. _'I know. I'll try. Sorry to wake you, Tatsuki-chan.'_

Tatsuki smiled. _'Don't worry about it. I'm happy for you! I really am. Now go to bed.'_

' _Good night!'_

' _Night.'_

Once her screen was shut off, Orihime sighed as she looked around the apartment. Ichigo had insisted on helping her with the dishes – claiming it wasn't fair for one person to do the dishes that resulted from eight people. She _could_ go to bed, but she was scarcely tired after everything that had happened. Her eyes fell to the inside of her left wrist, where she could still feel Ichigo's lingering reiatsu. She could still recall his gentle caress, even though she had scarcely registered it at the time. "He _actually_ touched me," she whispered aloud, still barely believing it herself. The few moments they'd shared had always been after a fight, when he was worried about her or she was worried about him. That line seemed to be blurring of late… A fresh shiver worked its way down her spine before she shook her head to clear her thoughts. _Maybe I just need a good hot bath…_

* * *

The next morning, Ichigo did not bother to hide his irritation when Rukia decided to join him on his morning walk to school, which included picking up Orihime. She walked beside him, her book bag bouncing at her hip, her steps lighter than usual as she smiled knowingly up at him. He wanted to wipe the smug smile right off her face. "Why, today of all days, do you decide to come to school?" he griped, rolling his eyes as they sauntered along.

Rukia knew Ichigo was annoyed – it was impossible to miss – but she wasn't going to miss this for the world! She had to see how he acted after their talk the night before, whether he wanted her there or not. But she _did_ have her other reasons as well. "Believe it or not, Ichigo, my world does _not_ revolve around you," she teased. "I haven't been to the school in a while and I need to catch up. Don't hate just because you wish you could use memory modification."

Ichigo's frown deepened. She had him there. He _did_ wish he could use memory modification and make his teacher forget all the days he missed or make Chizuru decide she wasn't into Orihime… It would make missing school for soul reaper duties a hell of a lot easier. "One of these days you'll have to teach me how to use that," he tried, not for the first time.

Smirking, Rukia shook her head. "You can keep asking, Ichigo, but not until the head captain says so."

He sighed. "Of course." Watching her from the corner of his eye, he decided to try a new tactic. "You _do_ know we have a huge math test today, right? That's what we've all been studying for."

Rukia shrugged, just as unfazed as ever. "Your school tests don't bother me, Ichigo. You should know that by now."

 _Damn it! I've got to get her to go away!_ "Yeah, but wouldn't you like to miss all that? Why don't you just show up after lunch? Like you've said, no one will notice the difference."

She raised an eyebrow at him and smiled slyly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to get rid of me."

He rolled his eyes, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "I _am_ trying to get rid of you!"

His outburst only made her smile grow wider, but he had a point. She did not want to bother sitting around during one of their tests. The few times she'd tried to take one of them, she had stared at the questions on the page before her with the very real concern that her brain was about to explode. There had been some she'd excelled at or at least found tolerable, but then there were some that may as well have been in a foreign language. Ichigo had roughly explained the importance of such exams, but it was Orihime who had really taken the time to illustrate the role exams and school truly played in the lives of the living. Soul reapers had a very narrowed focus – fighting hollows and other supernatural creatures with zanpakutos or kido, with a few other skills thrown into the mix depending on the soul reaper's select talents. It took a very special person to become a soul reaper in the first place, so it made sense they would be so specialized. The world of the living was basically the opposite. In high school, the students were taught a wide range of subjects introducing them to the broad array of fields open to them for careers. They could become _anything_ – from artists to rocket scientists, construction workers to doctors. School helped shape the foundation that they would build their entire future upon.

As they walked, Ichigo's brow drawn low and his scowl etched into his face, Rukia pondered just what exactly was in the substitute soul reaper's future. Would the Soul Society pull him away from his duties in the living world? Or would the world of the living pull him from the Soul Society? She didn't think that was very likely. Ichigo took his responsibilities too seriously to give them up that easily. Not to mention, the man was a _natural!_ She'd heard the others talk about him; some with voices lined with envy, and knew they spoke the truth. That being said, she also found it hard to see him leaving his life in the living world. He had people here he cared about, people he loved and needed to protect – they were the reason he picked up the zanpakuto in the first place. He wouldn't just leave them behind… It would seem he was stuck in the substitute role for now, and perhaps the foreseeable future. Although sometimes it was obvious living a dual life was hard on him, she knew there was no one better suited for the position than he was, and that knowledge made her smile – this time with pride.

Still grumbling in his head about Rukia's continued presence, Ichigo glanced at her out of the corner of his eye once more, catching her smiling, her eyes distant in thought. "What are you smiling about?" he snapped. They were nearing Orihime's.

Her smile faltered in the slightest as Rukia's eyes rose to meet his. Her cheeks were pleasantly rosy from the crisp morning air. "Oh, I was just thinking," she teased.

He turned to look forward again, not sure if he liked her tone of voice. "About what?" he asked, taking the bait without realizing it was there.

Rukia took one large step to the side so that she could skip, taking long side steps as she sashayed beside Ichigo. This way she could look up at him while she spoke. "That I guess you're right. I'll wait to come to school until _after_ your test."

Ichigo was immediately suspicious. Rukia wasn't one to change her mind so quickly or so lightly, especially when she was clearly so invested. "Why?"

"Call it, my concern for your future."

His lip curling up in confusion, Ichigo pulled back. "What?"

Giggling, Rukia turned and spun on her toes to head in the opposite direction, toward Urahara's, her school uniform skirt twirling around her legs. "I'll see you later, Ichigo! Tell Orihime I say hi!"

The mere mention of the auburn-haired healer's name set Ichigo's heart racing. His stomach fluttered nervously as his mouth was suddenly dry. When he didn't respond, Rukia glanced back at him from over her shoulder just in time to see him swallow and shake his head before resuming his trek toward Orihime's apartment. She had _other_ plans to arrange before returning to the school…

* * *

When Orihime felt Ichigo's reiatsu approaching, she couldn't help the nervousness that welled in her gut. Were things going to be different between them? Awkward? Weird? Was he going to look at her differently? She had no idea! But thoughts and concerns about such things kept her up most of the night and she spent much of the morning trying to hide the dark bags under her eyes. She used the leftover tea bags from her morning tea, letting them soak on her eyes for twenty minutes, to help with their over-tired appearance, and was satisfied that at least she didn't have to use very much makeup. For one who rarely spent much time on her appearance, she carefully arranged her hair, placing her pins slightly back from her ears more than usual so they held more of her hair back from her face, while her long bangs still framed her eyes, and then covered her head with her knitted white hat that protected her ears. Although she still had to wear her school uniform, she wore extra thick socks that came above her knees since the weather was calling for snow.

Her anxiety getting the best of her, Orihime pulled on her puffy white coat and stepped outside before Ichigo even approached the apartment. Despite her best efforts to the contrary, her hands trembled as she locked her front door before slipping her keys in her pocket. She was in the process of pulling her gloves on when she caught the sight of Ichigo's tall frame – a black hat hid his orange hair. _Ok, ok, ok. I can do this! You can do this, Orihime!_ She psyched herself up with a nervous pep talk as Ichigo came up the walk, and moved to meet him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Morning, Kurosaki-kun!" she called, for once too nervous to skip down the steps.

Ichigo looked up at the sound of her voice, having been lost in his own thoughts. Before he knew what he was doing, he was smiling at the sight of her, bundled up but just as beautiful as ever, as she descended the stairs to meet him. "Morning, Inoue."

His _easy_ smile set her heart at ease and her smile widened into a grin as she skipped down the last few steps. She quickly discovered the skip was a mistake as her usual clumsiness caught up with her, as it so often did. Her right foot caught her left foot, and before she knew it, she was falling, a surprised, "Oh!" escaping her frozen lips in a gasp.

"Inoue!" Ichigo cried out, dropping his book bag and immediately jumping up the last two steps to catch her, just as he had before. Only this time he was a fraction of a second too late, the stairs were a little too slippery, and Orihime's momentum was just a little bit too much as she collided with his chest. _Shit!_ He felt his foot slip and clutched her to him, one arm wrapped protectively around her back while the other pressed her head gently into his chest. "Hang on," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear as Orihime squeezed her eyes shut.

It was like they were flying – for a moment. Orihime felt Ichigo's body tense against hers, in preparation for the hard landing, and when it came, he absorbed the impact with a grunt. She scarcely felt anything other than a jolt as they came to an abrupt halt with Ichigo flat on his back, Orihime on top of him with her legs between his. Her knees hit the concrete, but she was too filled with nervous adrenaline to notice – the sensation of being held tightly in Ichigo's arms nearly too much for her. He did not immediately release his hold on her as he tried to regain his breath – the fall knocked the wind out of him – and after a moment of feeling his ragged breathing beneath her, Orihime managed to pick her head up off his chest. The hand that had been pressing her head to his chest slid to her back. "Kurosaki-kun?"

His eyes were squeezed shut, his face pinched almost painfully, but the moment he heard her voice, his eyes opened. The gentle pools of brown met her molten gray and she gasped softly, her heart immediately warming in her chest as though he had just lit it on fire with his gaze. "Are you all right?" he murmured, his voice gentle and deep in a way she so rarely heard it, but that instantly made warmth rush to her cheeks. He still had not removed his arms from around her. If anything, they tightened at his soft question.

Pressing her lips together to keep them from trembling, she nodded. "T-thank you, Kurosaki-kun." He smiled softly, one arm releasing her to scratch the side of his head where a tuft of orange hair had escaped his hat, which was now skewed after their fall. Even though _he_ hadn't released her, she pressed her hands against his chest and pushed back, all but throwing herself off of him and into a kneeling position between his legs as she bowed her head in quiet shame. "And I'm _so_ sorry for falling on you! Again!" Her cheeks burned as she stared at the ground between them, her hands clenched into small fists atop her thighs.

Ichigo easily sat up, his arms feeling strangely empty now that Orihime had forcibly removed herself from them. He felt warmth rising in his cheeks and tried to force it down, his hollow's mocking laughter only adding to his consternation. To cover for his unease, he chuckled. "I'm the one who slipped this time."

Orihime's eyes snapped to his. "What?!"

There was no room for argument in his gaze. "It was me. My foot slipped on the step when I went to catch you. So if anyone is to say sorry, it's me."

Visibly shocked, Orihime jerked back, shaking her head. "H-how can you say that? You only bolted up there because I fell."

He shrugged and fixed his hat. "So? If I hadn't slipped, we wouldn't have ended up on the ground." His eyes bored into hers. It was the look that said, _don't argue with me,_ and Orihime knew it well enough. "So if anyone is to apologize, it's me."

She couldn't help it. She _couldn't_ let him take the blame, regardless of what his eyes were saying. "Don't be ridiculous."

He blinked innocently. "I'm not."

They stared at each other, neither willing to back down, for several moments, before Ichigo cracked a smile that made Orihime laugh, covering her mouth demurely. Satisfied, Ichigo pulled his legs back from around her and stood up, extending a gloved hand to help her up. "Come on. We better get to school."

Orihime looked at his hand before looking up at him. The look she couldn't place was back in his eyes, but from what she could see, it was a good look, because his eyes were lighter than normal, almost dancing in the morning light. It made her smile when the first snowflakes started falling between them, contrasting wonderfully against his heavy black hat and coat. Her heart light and pattering against her ribs, she placed her gloved hand in his, silently wishing neither of them were so protected against the cold, and let him haul her to her feet. She pouted inwardly the moment he released her hand. As she dusted herself off he bent to retrieve his bag, and they headed to Karakura High, the rest of their walk quiet and uneventful as snow continued to fall around them.

* * *

They made it to class just before the final bell, Ichigo walking in behind Orihime, his eyes narrowed from glaring at several male classmates in the hallway that chose to look at the woman before him a little too long for his liking. She was, as always, either blissfully ignorant, or very good at ignoring their sometimes-blatant stares. Tatsuki took one look at the two and beamed them both a smile, waving to both of them and receiving a simple grunt from Ichigo and a wide smile and hug from Orihime.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime cheered as she embraced her best friend.

"He walked you to school _again_ , Orihime?" Tatsuki whispered in her ear, cautious of the close proximity of the substitute soul reaper in question.

Orihime peeked over Tatsuki's shoulder at Ichigo, who was shaking his head to fluff his hair back out after freeing it from his hat. His eyes were closed and he was already seated. Even in his school uniform, which he never wore exactly to standard – always without the tie, sometimes with the shirt untucked, and always partially unbuttoned showing off whatever color shirt he chose to wear beneath it (which today was black) – his broad shoulders and narrow waist were impossible to miss. After so much fighting and training, his strength was even more defined and obvious, showing through his uniform shirt since he never wore the sweater over it. On the days he did wear something over his uniform shirt (today being as cold as it was, was one of those days), it would be the gray uniform jacket they were allowed to wear, but even that he never buttoned. He was oftentimes a stark contrast to Uryu, who was always impeccably put together, which perhaps reflected some on their clashing personalities. The only person in their class who came anywhere close to his height was Sado, who was actually _taller_ than he was. She still couldn't believe he was going to be going to the dance with her, that he _wanted_ to go to the dance with her. _'Of course I'll go with you,'_ he'd said…

"Orihime?" Tatsuki asked again, her brow furrowed when Orihime appeared lost in thought.

"What?" Orihime pulled her eyes from the substitute soul reaper who was shoving his hat into his bag and pointedly ignoring Keigo. "Oh! Yes," she breathed, a smile flirting with her lips as she looked back at her friend. Clearly the fears that kept her up all night had been unfounded.

Tatsuki peered into Orihime's eyes, sensing that something was off. "Are you all right?"

Shrugging off her concern, Orihime waved her hand in dismissal. "I'm fine, Tatsuki-chan. I just didn't get much sleep last night." When Tatsuki frowned at her, she elaborated. "It's nothing. The little blue men kept me up."

Pursing her lips to the side, Tatsuki folded her arms across her chest. "Orihime," she started, but the teacher's arrival interrupted her. Glancing to the front of the room, she looked back at her friend. "We'll talk later."

Sooner than anyone liked, roll was called and the dreaded math test was handed out. They were given two hours to complete it, more than they usually were, but it was also a longer test than they were usually given, much to everyone's dismay. Grumbles and groans resounded throughout the room as the test was passed around until the teacher snapped for quiet and the time was written on the board. "Begin!" she shouted, and heads dropped to their tests, pencils furiously writing as minds raced to recall the information and process the questions before them.

Ichigo stared at the questions before him and sighed in relief. _Thank Kami for Orihime,_ he breathed inwardly as he worked through the problems with ease. She had prepped him and drilled him to the point that he had _dreamt_ about math… Now, he could see their study sessions had paid off, and as he finished the first page and flipped it over, he glanced up, his eyes skirting to the auburn-haired healer to his left. She sat with her back straight, ankles crossed, elbows leaning on her desk. Her hair formed a slight curtain around her as she worked, but he could tell she was focused. Just before he went back to work, he caught her cock her head slightly to the side before she sighed and shook her head. Then she stifled a yawn and he smirked before looking back down and resuming his test.

As Orihime powered through her test, she was faintly aware, for a moment, of eyes on her. A tingling sensation began in her back, making warmth pool in her belly, and before she knew what she was doing she was sensing Ichigo's reiatsu, her head cocked slightly to the side. He was calm and focused, with something else mixed in that made her heart race. Even without seeing him, she could tell it was _his_ eyes on her, and it made her pause in her work and smile softly to herself. She wanted to look at him, but didn't want to draw undue attention to either of them, not during an exam, so she quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts. When her eyes returned to her test, the words were blurred and the fatigue she felt from so little sleep began to creep into her being. Scarcely stifling a yawn, she pinched her arm to wake herself up and resumed her test.

Despite her steadily increasing exhaustion, Orihime was one of the first students to finish the exam, turning her test in and quietly leaving the room as instructed. With nothing to do and none of her friends done, she patiently waited in the hallway, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed. It didn't take long before she slid down the wall to rest with her knees drawn up to her chest, her forehead to her knees as her arms wrapped easily around her legs. _I'll just rest here for a moment…_

* * *

Ichigo finished roughly twenty minutes after Orihime did, and when he left the room, he nearly tripped over her. "Inoue!" he whisper-shouted in surprise, crouching down beside her. When she didn't respond he gently poked her in the shoulder. "Hey, Inoue!"

Sleepily, Orihime rolled her head to the side, her bangs strewn across her face and eyes. As a vision of Ichigo swam before her, she smiled, thinking she was dreaming. "Hey, Kurosaki-kun," she breathed.

Her breathless voice was enticing, as was the easy and casual way she said his name, but his concern for her quickly stopped the shiver from working down his spine. "Kami, what are you doing down there?!"

She shrugged, her eyes still dazed. "Didn't get much sleep."

His characteristic frown, which seemed to disappear around her, was back. "Why the hell not?"

The tone of his voice finally convinced her this was not a dream. The Ichigo in her dreams didn't speak so harshly. Blinking, she picked her head up, her brow lined with confusion as she dropped her head back against the wall to look up at him. "Little blue men," she murmured.

Chuckling without humor, Ichigo extended his hand. "Come on."

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at his hand. It was the second time in just a few short hours that he was offering her his hand, and this time it _was without_ a glove. "Where are we going?" Her words were slightly slurred; reminding Ichigo of the times he'd found the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13 drunk. Regardless, she placed her hand in his, completely trusting in him as he hauled her to her feet so quickly she squealed, drawing the eyes of other students lingering in the hallway.

"We're getting some coffee." She was unsteady a moment from the sudden change in position and he placed his other hand on her shoulder to keep her from falling, not releasing her hand as his eyes searched hers. In fact, his grip on her hand unconsciously tightened while his dark, intense gaze pierced right through her bleary focus. "You all right?" His voice was softer; reminiscent of the tone he'd used that morning after their fall on the stairs – deep and almost husky. It made her ears warm as her breath caught in her throat.

Brushing her hair out of her face, Orihime smiled, her eyes clear even though she suddenly had trouble remembering how to breathe. Ichigo was holding onto her _again!_ She was acutely aware of each of his fingers gripping her shoulder firmly and securely, and yet gently enough not to hurt her. The sensation of her hand being engulfed in his, which was large and rough, and oh so pleasantly warm, made her heart skip a beat. Not trusting her voice, she nodded and he quickly released her, turning to lead the way. She quickly rushed to keep up, her hand sadly cool now that he'd let it go. Without realizing it, she held the now lonely appendage with her other hand, pressing both to her chest. "Coffee?" she asked, risking a look back over her shoulder as a few other students left the room to join the increasing crowd loitering in the hallway. More than a few of them watched them walk away together.

He smiled crookedly before admitting, "It gets me through the day when I've spent all night fighting hollows."

She couldn't help but smile gently at the presence of his smile. Regardless, responsibility tugged at her and her lower lip quickly found its way between her teeth. "What about class?" she asked, peering at him out of the corner of her eye.

He shrugged, his eyes light and dancing. "We've still got time."

They made it to the cafeteria a moment later. Since it was the middle of the morning, there were relatively few students about, so they had their choice of machines and Ichigo explained to Orihime the different flavors, showing her his favorite and helping her decide which coffee she might like best – although with her odd tastes, he was sure to be surprised. With the cold weather, they opted for hot coffee and went for the cappuccino machine. He chose something mild so she could try his first – hazelnut – which would be sweet but not too sweet, without too strong of a "coffee-taste". Once the brew had been dispensed into his cup, still steaming and with a delicate layer of foam, he held it up for her. "Try it."

Orihime raised an eyebrow but took the hot cup from him regardless. He watched as she gently blew onto the hot beverage, his hollow immediately perking up. _**'Well, well, well! This is interesting.'**_

Rather than answer, Ichigo swallowed dryly, his eyes on Orihime as she closed her eyes, quietly inhaling the aroma of coffee and hazelnut. "It smells good," she whispered before taking a cautious sip.

 _Kill me now,_ Ichigo groaned inwardly, running a hand through his hair and cursing his inner hollow, who cackled mercilessly at his discomfort. A delicate layer of cream-colored foam clung to Orihime's upper lip when she opened her eyes to look at him. "W-what do you think?"

A soft smile slowly spread across her lips as she rose to her tiptoes, resisting the urge to bounce in her happiness for risk of spilling Ichigo's brew. "I… I like it!"

' _ **You want to get that foam off her lip there, King?'**_

Ichigo froze, his hollow's words too close to his own thoughts for comfort, which startled him as much as it scared him; his eyes widening his only reaction. He was both relieved and disappointed when Orihime licked her lips and the tempting foam disappeared, but it was enough to snap him out of his stupor. "Great! You want to try something sweeter? Stronger?"

Not sure what just transpired, Orihime handed Ichigo's cup back to him, his fingers grazing over hers when he went to take the cup back. She gasped at the contact, her eyes shooting up to his, and the sight of him _smiling_ softly down at her made her want to melt into the floor. They lingered, longer than was necessary, before Orihime felt her face warming and had to look away, gently (but regretfully) pulling her hand back. Regardless, she was smiling, feeling like she could be flying without the aid of coffee just from the way he had smiled at her. "Sweeter," she answered with a small rise onto her toes.

 _Shitshitshitshitshit!_ Ichigo was practically screaming in his head. He'd let himself slip, wanted to prolong their contact and _had_ and… Orihime hadn't pulled away until she was nearly as red as a tomato. It had been difficult enough to admit his own feelings, but now that he knew she might return them, it made him even more nervous. But why? Shouldn't that be a _good_ thing?! Taking in a deep breath, he forced himself to focus on coffee. _Coffee! Coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee…_ "Sweeter like chocolate?" he asked, cupping his chin with his free hand.

Returning to his side, Orihime looked at the machine before them. The numerous names and choices were foreign and confusing. "Surprise me," she decided, clasping her hands behind her back and rocking back and forth gently.

Ichigo glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, his heart warming at the way she looked up at him with a trusting smile. _Kami, I'm in trouble,_ he admitted, reluctantly pulling his eyes from her to return to the cappuccino machine. He had just the beverage in mind for her, and set his down to ready hers as his hollow spoke up.

' _ **That's what I've been trying to tell you, King!'**_

His back to Orihime, Ichigo rolled his eyes, setting a cup under the proper dispenser, inserting some money, and hitting the button. The _whir_ of the machine whipping up her re-energizing beverage was a pleasant distraction as he ignored his inner hollow's interruption once more. When he turned back around to offer it to her, she smiled again.

"What is it?" Her gray eyes were wide and bright, curiosity evident in their depths.

He pulled it back from her reaching arms for just a moment before handing it over with a sly smirk. "Just try it," he insisted.

Keeping her eyes on his for a moment, Orihime nodded, taking the cup with both her hands with a gentle bow of her head. Just as she did with Ichigo's, she gently blew on the small layer of cream-colored foam; his eyes glued to her every movement, before taking a cautious sip of the hot brew. Her eyes shot open as the sweet flavor of white chocolate hit her tongue. "It's so good!" she exclaimed, her cheeks warming from more than just the coffee.

Smiling softly, Ichigo turned to retrieve his own coffee and two lids, passing one to her. "I'm glad you like it."

"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun." Her voice was abnormally soft, her eyes downcast as she situated the lid on her cup. Long eyelashes rested on her cheeks, her normally alabaster skin pleasantly dusted pink.

"You're welcome. Now hopefully you don't become dependent on it like I am."

Her brow furrowed as her eyes shot back up to his. "What?"

Chuckling, Ichigo waved her off, taking a sip of his coffee. It was sweeter than he preferred it, but he didn't mind because it had been for Orihime. "Don't worry about it." When she still looked up at him in confusion, he cleared his throat nervously. "Shall we head back to class?"

"Orihime!"

The two looked up in surprise at the familiar voice, both more disappointed by the interruption than they cared to admit, even if it was for someone they cared so much for. "Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime called back nonetheless, while Ichigo simply frowned.

Tatsuki finished her sprint toward them, the martial arts athlete not even remotely winded. "I heard you two disappeared together." Her sharp brown eyes narrowed up at Ichigo, who scowled in return.

Giggling, Orihime shook her head. "Kurosaki-kun just bought me some coffee." She held up the cup in both her hands, the happy smile still glued to her lips.

Tatsuki, who knew her better than anyone, could see the excitement and _happiness_ dwelling within that simple smile, but still… She couldn't let _Ichigo_ off that easily. "Really? Coffee, huh?"

Ichigo's patience was at its limit. His free hand, the one not holding coffee, curled into an angry fist as he challenged her. "What?! You act like that's a bad thing!"

"Tatsuki-chan," Orihime started, but her best friend cut her off with a sly chuckle.

"Oh, nothing." Her eyes darted between the two before her for a moment before she plunged ahead, stepping between them and looping her arm through Orihime's as though she were claiming her. "Look, we've still got over ten minutes before we have to be back to class, so do you mind, dear Ichigo, if I borrow my friend here for a moment?"

His brow furrowing, Ichigo seriously debated telling her to fuck off, but instead he shrugged. "Sure. Go ahead." To Orihime, he said, "I'll see you in class."

Suddenly faced with time away from Ichigo, Orihime's mouth fell open slightly in shock. "Thank you again for the coffee, Kurosaki-kun!"

He was already walking down the hallway, back toward class, so he simply waved at her from over his shoulder, not wanting her to see the scowl that was back on his face. _Damn it, Tatsuki!_

Once Ichigo was out of earshot, Tatsuki smiled at Orihime as though they were conspiring. "So?"

Confused, Orihime's brow furrowed. "So?"

"I told you I wanted to know more about last night today. It's today. Spill." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "And I want to know the real reason why you're so tired today."

Sighing, Orihime felt the temperature rise in her cheeks. "Do we have to do this now?"

"If you expect me to follow through with my end of the deal, then yes."

Her eyes widening, Orihime took a sip of her coffee, large curious eyes all Tatsuki could see over the end of her cup. "Who are you going to ask?" she mumbled curiously from her safe place behind her cup. Frowning, Tatsuki closed her eyes and looked away. "Come on, Tatsuki! I didn't even know you _liked_ anyone!"

Dark eyes snapping open, Tatsuki could feel the heat rushing to her face and hated it. She was usually so capable at controlling her emotions… "I don't!" she snapped.

Giggling, Orihime elbowed her best friend. "Sure," she teased. "But if you insist," she glanced back at her friend, giving her the obvious _out_ she so clearly needed as she launched into the retelling of how she asked Ichigo as they slowly made their way back to class. As she spoke and they walked, Tatsuki gripped her arm harder and harder, Ichigo's startled reaction more than irritating, especially when Orihime admitted to at least _trying_ to ask properly, before panicking and asking as his friend when he said nothing. _Nothing!_ Despite her annoyance with his initial reaction, she couldn't help but smile with how he responded when he _did_ answer, and in the end, she also couldn't help but worry over the fact that he had come back to her _wounded,_ something that happened _a lot._

"You know, Orihime, I really am glad that he has you," she murmured, smiling gently. She couldn't help it. She'd known Ichigo since they were little kids. He was protective of her, and she was protective of him (although she didn't show it very well). It meant a lot to her that although she was practically helpless against the horrors he faced on a daily basis, he had someone who could be there for him and who could _heal_ him, possibly in more ways than one.

"Tatsuki," Orihime breathed, her heart warming with her friend's words and what they could mean.

Never one to focus on mushy stuff too long, Tatsuki moved on. "Now, what had you so worried last night?"

Exhaling quickly, Orihime pressed her lips together. "Right!" It was easy to talk to Tatsuki, and it was as much of a relief to say the words out loud as it was to have Tatsuki laugh about them in her face.

"Obviously you were wrong!" Tatsuki cackled.

Blushing furiously, Orihime closed her eyes and nodded. "I know! I know!"

They were nearing the classroom. Ichigo's orange hair could be easily seen above the heads of their other classmates, as well as Sado's lumbering form. The two stood in a small crowd of their usual friends – the rest of them had been out for a while now but hadn't decided to go on a hunt for their missing two friends like she had. Keigo and Mizuiro may as well have been involved in their own private conversation as Uryu, Sado, and Ichigo talked amongst themselves. Chizuru stood with them but away from them, her eyes searching, no doubt for Orihime.

Seeing the group and the "hungry" female, Tatsuki slowed. "You know, if anything, I think it's had the opposite effect," she muttered.

Orihime's eyes were wide and shining when she turned to her. "What do you mean?!" she nearly shrieked. Tatsuki simply smiled in response.

* * *

 _A/N: Sorry to keep you waiting for so long, but here it is! I've actually had this done for a few days and haven't had time to get on here and upload it thanks to being busy with my new job... I hope you liked it! There will be some other couples featured a little more from here one as well, so stay tuned for that! ;) Now I just need to decide who Tatsuki is going to ask... Any suggestions/ideas? LoL. I'd love to hear them! As always, comments and reviews are always appreciated!_

 _The usual disclaimer, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo. I just enjoy writing about one of my OTP's._


	8. Chapter 8

_As always, I have to apologize for life getting in the way of this update, but I have to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who have been following/favoriting this story. I had no idea this was going to keep going as long as it has and I still have so much more I want to do with it. Your support means the world to me, and I hope you enjoy this!_

* * *

After the big exam, lunch could not arrive soon enough. Orihime sipped on her coffee throughout the remainder of the morning, downing it faster than she would have expected due to its pleasant sweetness and the warmth that permeated her being after drinking it. The fact that it had been a present from Ichigo only aided in her warmth and happiness, making her smile softly to herself after each sip and have to resist the urge to glance back at him over her shoulder frequently during the rest of the morning lesson. They'd spent so much time together over the past couple days she almost couldn't believe it. They'd studied together, walked together, battled a hollow together, and now they were going to the dance together! Ichigo bought her coffee and was _smiling!_ According to Tatsuki, he seemed different when he was with her… Although she didn't quite understand what that meant, what more could she ask for?!

When the bell finally rang for lunch, she found herself both excited and nervous. She felt giddy, jumpy, and warm; and although she had several reasons to be feeling so, it also felt very strange. Should she sit next to him? Would he sit next to her? They'd been sitting next to each other a lot lately, so it would make sense if they did, wouldn't it? If he really was acting different around her (and he certainly was with his smiling), should she bring attention to the change or just go with it? Would anyone else notice? _Had_ anyone else noticed? What if they did? She stopped, her hand on her bag that was still hanging on the hook on her desk as her mind raced. _Oh no! What if they_ do _notice?! What will they think? What will happen?_ Thoughts and fears she hadn't even realized existed burst through her mind at such a rapid speed she could barely keep up, her eyes glued unseeing to the floor beside her desk as she panicked.

"Inoue?" Ichigo's voice broke through the fog in her mind, shattering the wild and outlandish concerns the little blue men were weaving as quickly as if they were spider webs and he were a flame.

Physically jerking with a yelp, Orihime grabbed her bag and flung it over her shoulder so quickly, Ichigo had to jump back in order to avoid being hit in the stomach. "Oh! I'm sorry!" she gasped, her face immediately darkening at the narrowly avoided mishap.

Chuckling, Ichigo shrugged. ' _What's gotten into her?'_ his hollow asked the very question on his mind. "You all right?" he asked instead, his voice uncharacteristically low and soft as his chocolate eyes danced in the light filtering in from the windows.

Orihime was vaguely aware that they were nearly the last ones left in the room. "Yeah!" she answered too quickly and actually flinched. _Ugh! Stupid!_ "I was just… thinking."

Ichigo frowned, his brow creasing as he turned to make room for her. He looked like he wanted to ask more, but chose not to, something she was _extremely_ grateful for while her heart continued to pound nervously within her chest. As they made their way up the stairs to the roof and silence descended upon them, she felt the undeniable urge to fill it, nervous energy and excitement bubbling up within her chest and making her want to bounce on her toes. Or maybe that was the coffee? "Thanks again for the coffee, Kurosaki-kun! I don't know how I would have gotten through this morning without it!"

Walking beside her, Ichigo graced her with a smile once more, the concern finally gone from his face now that her bubbliness was back. "You're welcome, Inoue. I'm glad it helped." He watched the extra bounce in her step as she jumped onto the top landing. "Is that the reason for your _thinking_?" he teased, reaching forward to open the door for her before she could even do anything.

Giggling, Orihime shrugged. "Maybe!" she chided right back with a smile that made Ichigo's chest warm. She was completely unaware of his reaction to the ringing of her voice, to the way her giggle immediately made him want to smile. Her excitement and happiness were contagious to him, which was _not_ usual for him. _Is this what Rukia was talking about?!_

A moment later and they were joining the rest of their friends. Due to the snow, they were crowded closer to the building than they normally were, taking shelter under the awning provided and the tall space heaters set up, their flames burning warmly. Although it kept the roof fairly warm, they were the only group of students brave enough to face the weather. Regardless, the moment Orihime's eyes fell on the group and she noticed the newcomers, a grin broke across her face, while Ichigo's smile fell into a frown. "Rukia-chan! Abarai-san! Rangiku-chan! Hitsugaya-kun!" Orihime called, running forward to hug Rukia.

Rukia smiled and hugged Orihime back just as fiercely, her eyes on Ichigo from over her shoulder before the healer moved on to Rangiku.

"What are you guys doing here?" Ichigo snapped.

The tall lieutenant picked Orihime up and spun her around, causing her to squeal happily before setting her back on her feet. "We've missed you, Orihime!" Rangiku exclaimed, pointedly ignoring the drooling gazes of Mizuiro, Keigo, and Chizuru at her back to cast knowing eyes on Ichigo. Giggling, Orihime moved on to the captain, pulling him into a friendly embrace, much to his chagrin.

"I told you I had something to take care of before coming to school," Rukia interjected, drawing everyone's attention back to her.

Drawing a blank, Ichigo stared at her in confusion, scarcely noticing when Orihime returned to his side. "The dance, you idiot! I couldn't let you go with Orihime unattended!"

Ichigo's face immediately reddened, rivaling Renji's hair. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped, not wanting to do or say anything that might hurt Orihime's feelings, despite how he felt about being outed in front of everyone. _Damn it, Rukia!_ He settled for cursing her inwardly, his eyes hardened into a steely glare, and his hands curling into fists as he prepared for the inevitable barrage of questions. He barely heard Orihime's stifled gasp at his side.

Behind Rangiku and Toshiro, who looked rather smug for Ichigo's liking, Mizuiro, Keigo, Chizuru, Chad, and Uryu all leaned around to look at the two of them with wide eyes and mouths agape. "W-what did she just say?" Keigo asked, dumbfounded.

"D-did she just say what I think she just said?!" Chizuru gasped, her eyes wide as she looked in shock between the two before her. _How can Orihime be going to the dance with_ Kurosaki?!

Tatsuki, sitting between Chad and Renji, simply bit into her sandwich as though this was an everyday occurrence, scarcely suppressing a smile. "Perhaps you should explain, Ichigo," she offered, smiling roguishly when he turned his glare on her.

"I thought you said there was no way in hell you were going?!" Keigo whined.

"I did," Ichigo shrugged. "And then Inoue asked me, and I changed my mind." Even as he said the words, he hated saying them. He hated talking about these things, _especially_ in front of other people.

"Wait! _You_ asked _him?!_ " Chizuru wailed.

"Of course I did," Orihime answered plainly. "That's the whole point of the dance, isn't it?" She clasped her hands in front of her and rose up onto her toes in an attempt to hide her discomfort but forced herself to meet the red-head's gaze.

"I can't believe this!" Orihime's admirer slammed her lunchbox closed, rose to her feet, and stormed off in a huff. The door to the roof slammed shut behind her, making everyone flinch. Orihime was the only one to look after her with a sorrowful expression, pain evident in the way her eyes were pinched. Even if she wasn't always comfortable around the girl, she hated the idea of hurting her feelings.

"So," Uryu began, speaking for the first time as his eyes slowly moved from Orihime to Ichigo, "Are you two… dating?"

Ichigo coughed, avoiding Orihime's gaze for fear she'd see how he truly felt. Rukia noticed and frowned, especially when the healer's eyes glanced nervously his way, her hands fairly wringing themselves before her. The nervous tick only worsened when his eyes never met hers. "No," Ichigo murmured just as Orihime blurted, "It's not like that."

"And you're going to the dance, too?" Uryu pointedly asked Rukia. The man was nothing if not observant. What he wanted to ask was, _'You came here_ just _to go to the dance?'_ but given their mixed company, he couldn't. His hidden meaning was understood nonetheless as Rukia smiled and leaned against Renji. The red-head looked down at her and smirked but didn't move away.

"Of course we are! We don't have things like this back home." She likewise had to remind herself of the company they were in, in order not to blow their cover, memory modification or not.

"And you two are going together?" Chad was the one to ask, his hazel eyes peering out from behind his hair.

Renji grinned and slipped his arm around Rukia as though he had been waiting for the opportunity. The tiny Shinigami fit perfectly at his side as her smile grew to match his. "Of course we are," he answered, his voice just as gruff as usual, but there was a spark in his eye that wasn't normally there.

"What about you two?" Orihime asked, looking at Rangiku and Toshiro. The Captain was quite a bit younger than his lieutenant.

Toshiro's lip curled back as he moved away from the buxom beauty beside him. "Of course not," he snapped. Turquoise eyes flared at the other soul reapers. "I'm here to keep an eye on the rest of them. Once Rangiku heard about the dance, there was no keeping her away."

Ichigo couldn't help himself. "So, you're baby-sitting."

The captain's frown turned deadly as the air temperature dropped around them. Those that weren't aware of his power shivered and rubbed their arms, looking around as though they suspected the weather was about to get worse. Ichigo simply narrowed his eyes in challenge. It sure had been a while since he'd had a really good fight…

Sensing tension rise within Ichigo beside her, Orihime reached out to gently touch his arm, not even realizing she was doing it until she suddenly found herself looking up into his eyes. He'd glanced down at her, feeling her gentle touch, just in time to find her lifting her gaze up towards his. The way the soft afternoon light reflected back from her gray eyes made his breath catch in his throat. Her gaze exuded such kindness, such peace and calm, that without realizing it, he could get lost in them. He had no idea his inner thoughts caused his gaze to soften, his chocolate depths to melt as Orihime looked into them. She felt as though he were calling her soul to him with just a look, and it made a tight band form around her heart that squeezed pleasantly and yet painfully at their continued distance.

"Hey! You two gonna eat? Or are you gonna stand there all day?" Rukia interjected, the laughter scarcely restrained from her voice as she grinned.

The sound of Rukia's voice broke the spell Ichigo and Orihime suddenly found themselves under as Ichigo closed his eyes and shook his head to clear his thoughts and Orihime sucked in a quiet breath, immediately pulling her hand back. Even as he watched, her cheeks warmed, practically glowing as she stepped forward to join the circle of their friends. "Sorry!" she squeaked.

Clearing his throat, Ichigo quickly sat beside her, keeping his eyes on his lunchbox and the food before him. _How did I let myself get so distracted? And in front of_ everyone?! His hollow chuckled at his inner turmoil, only earning a growl in response.

The rest of their lunch break (which wasn't long now that everyone had finally started eating) passed quickly as the friends carried easy and amicable conversation filled with easy banter and carefree conversation. Despite the outward appearance, it was clear that there was a lot of inner musings and turmoil both individually and in some cases amongst the group. Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, who sometimes got a lot of flak for his sensitivity to the humans, could easily see this, and wondered just what the cause of the unrest could be. The soul reapers had integrated seamlessly, so it was clear their appearance had nothing to do with it, but it was something more… It couldn't _all_ be the dance, could it?

Curious, Toshiro watched the group of friends throughout the remainder of their meal, keeping just far enough away from them to forget about his presence, while remaining close enough to hear what was said. When the warning bell rang, and they quickly packed up their belongings to head back to class; he and Rangiku took up the rear, his lieutenant for once quiet as she walked beside him. While he still didn't get the whole picture, he at least understood there was a great deal of angst within the group of friends, which made him want to roll his eyes even if he did want to see what happened at the same time.

* * *

"Hey, Sado?" Tatsuki all but whispered as she and the large man somehow managed to bring up the rear as their group headed back to class. It was not the first time they had somehow ended up alone together, but this time it was not by accident, at least on her part.

"Hmm?" he hummed, not looking at her as they made their way to the stairwell.

"You know, everyone was talking about the dance at lunch, but I never heard anything from you. Has anyone asked you yet?" she asked, playing it cool as she attempted to work up her nerve. She'd nearly asked him in the middle of lunch, but that would have meant asking him in front of nearly all of their friends – that would have been too much pressure for either of them!

Sado shrugged noncommittally. "No."

She knew he was never a man of many words, but never was that more of a deterrent than it was in that moment. Sucking in a deep breath, Tatsuki forced herself to look at him, if only for a moment, before allowing herself to drop her gaze to her feet. "In that case, w-would you be interested in going to the dance with m-me?" Her normally strong and brash voice was soft and quiet, unsure as she navigated territory completely unknown to her. All the martial arts training in the world could not prepare her for this level of stress. It certainly wasn't how she imagined asking him, in hushed voices as they walked quietly behind their friends back to class, but a deal was a deal and she wasn't about to back down.

Sado's single visible eye widened in shock as he looked at the black-haired martial arts expert beside him. Of all the possible girls to ask him to the dance, he never would have thought _Tatsuki_ would be the one. While the idea excited him (they _did_ have a ton in common, after all), it also scared him – he had _zero_ experience. "Um," the large man's deep, rich voice hummed once more, all but echoing off the cement walls surrounding them.

Tatsuki's hands met in front of her and she clenched them together anxiously. The muscles in her neck stood out as she ground her teeth a moment before blurting, "Imeanwe'djustbegoingasfriends. Nothing more." She immediately cringed at the sound of her voice growing louder with her nervousness, and her eyes darted up to the backs of their still unsuspecting friends in front of them.

The words were scarcely out of her mouth before Sado rumbled, "Okay."

She gasped, her eyes wide on the stairs before her as she focused on not tripping. She was an athlete after all – she couldn't trip! Did she hear him right?! Did he seriously say yes?! Tatsuki immediately voiced her thoughts, her eyes uncharacteristically wide in disbelief. "Yes?"

Sado closed his eyes and nodded, a hint of a smile gracing his normally stoic lips. "I would be happy to."

Tatsuki smiled then, relief and happiness dancing in her dark eyes as the tension left her shoulders. They had reached the bottom of the stairs and while the others filed out through the door, entering the hallway, Sado quickly moved to hold the door for her, something he had never done before – partially because she always insisted she didn't need such acts of chivalry. The subtle, but sweet gesture, brought warmth to Tatsuki's cheeks as she ducked her head when she passed beneath his arm. "Thank you," she murmured, suddenly unable to meet his eye.

Rangiku was the one to break the mood as she clapped her hands together before her chest, jumping happily. "Awe! This is so sweet! Captain, I'm so happy we're here to see this!"

Toshiro's eyes darted to his overly talkative subordinate with a sharp reprimand on the tip of his tongue, which quickly proved unnecessary. Tatsuki's gasp of surprise at their mere _presence_ spoke to the fact that she hadn't been paying attention to what actually came out of his lieutenant's mouth. "Shit!" Tatsuki cursed as she spun around on her toes. Her years of martial arts training kicked in and she immediately dropped into a partial crouch, as though prepared for a fight. "Since when were you two back there?!"

Hearing the commotion, Uryu, Ichigo, and Orihime immediately turned around, Rukia and Renji not far behind. Keigo and Mizuiro noticed a moment later. "What's going on?" Ichigo asked, his brow furrowed in concern for his friend. He'd never seen her look so pale, or so startled, even if she looked completely ready to kick some ass. Rangiku's look of pure happiness and excitement did not make him feel any better.

Now nervous for a completely different reason, Tatsuki's mouth fell open as she jumped again, turning to face the sudden crowd surrounding them. This was _exactly_ what she had been trying to avoid! When her eyes met those of Orihime, the auburn-haired healer simply smiled crookedly and shrugged, her face sympathetic for her plight, but clearly saying there was nothing she could do for her. "Looks like there's another couple joining you to the dance!" Rangiku immediately explained, clapping the embarrassed two on the shoulders. In her shock, Tatsuki had to take a step forward in order to keep her balance. Sado didn't so much as move.

"Rangiku!" Toshiro warned, ever-conscious of her insistent meddling.

"Come on, Captain! This is a huge moment!" she argued.

"What?" Keigo whined, stepping forward with a face full of shock. His eyes moved from Tatsuki to Sado, and back before throwing his hands in the air. "Am I seriously the only one without a date now?!"

"Ishida doesn't," Toshiro pointed out, grateful for the distraction. He still glared at Rangiku, who had figured out her mistake, despite his usual insistence on being called Captain. Her form of an apology came by way of shrugging her shoulders with her palms facing up as though it couldn't be helped.

"Fuck you!" Uryu ground out, his eyes flashing as he stepped forward as though he needed to defend his honor.

"Uryu," Rangiku purred as she pushed her way forward. Immediately suspicious, the Quincy's face slackened. "Would you like to go with me?"

The look of utter surprise that crossed Uryu's face was so priceless, Ichigo couldn't stop himself from laughing. Renji and Rukia also chuckled; and rightfully so. They all knew Rangiku and knew what the poor lad would be in for should he agree to her invitation. "With all due respect," Uryu began, holding his hands up as though to ward her off. He was already shaking his head no.

Rangiku waved him off, flicking her hair back over her shoulder. "Nonsense." Her bright eyes darted to her captain, defiant. "I'm only doing it to aggravate the captain."

His dislike for the soul reapers not a secret, Uryu immediately sneered, pushing his glasses further up his nose so that they flashed. "In that case, of course."

Keigo was nearly in tears. Rangiku's smile only grew as she pointedly looked at the girls. "You know what this means, ladies?" She waited the space of a breath for an answer. "Shopping!" she squealed happily, the girls' faces immediately breaking into smiles (except for Tatsuki, who looked uncomfortable). Behind her, Toshiro face-palmed, shaking his head and suppressing a groan.

* * *

 _A/N: Whoo! I'm soooo sorry it took me so long to get this out! And it's shorter than I intended, but this was a pretty decent place to stop. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and attention some of the other couples got this time. Was Tatsuki awkward enough? Please let me know your thoughts/comments! I always love to hear from you!_

 _As always, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo._


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Perhaps I should just change how I do Ichigo/Hollow Ichigo conversations, but I really prefer my normal way, lol. Except when people end up_ _texting!_ _Then I have to change things. So, once more, Ichigo/Hollow Ichigo will be in_ _ **bold.**_ _Enjoy!_

"I hate to interrupt, but we might want to get back to class," Mizuiro deadpanned, his face in his phone as he turned around without so much as another look over his shoulder.

The others quickly hurried off, talking boisterously amongst themselves. Rangiku and Rukia each took one of Orihime's arms, animatedly setting up plans for shopping later while Uryu, Chad, and Renji silently resumed their trek to class. Keigo continued to whine about not having a date, his tears causing a fall hazard on the floor as he pouted. Ichigo stood a moment, his eyes on his friends with his mouth hanging slightly open. It wasn't until Toshiro pushed past him, brushing against him with his shoulder, that he came back to his senses and realized Tatsuki was standing beside him, her face a matching image of surprise.

"What the hell was that?" Ichigo asked, his voice gruff with confusion rather than irritation.

"What?" Tatsuki replied, turning her dark eyes up to those of her long-time friend.

Ichigo finally looked at her, his eyes still sparkling with curiosity as his brow furrowed. "So, Chad? Seriously?" There was no reproach in his voice, he was simply surprised. Sometimes he had to remind himself that Tatsuki even _was_ a girl – she was and always had been "one of the guys". The _idea_ of her being interested in a guy, one of his friends nonetheless, was completely foreign to him, regardless of whether or not he was happy for her.

Tatsuki thought he was saying something entirely different and took a step back, her lips pulling down into a frown as her eyes flashed angrily. "You got a problem with that?" she snapped.

Holding up his hands as though to defend himself, Ichigo quickly took a step back. Angering Tatsuki was like cornering a wild bobcat protecting her kittens – she may be small, but she was still more than capable of beating him to a painful pulp, if not killing him in the process. "No! Of course not! Chad's a great guy! I'm just… surprised… I-I didn't know you liked him like that." Talking about such things, even with someone he'd known for so long, made him uncomfortable and Ichigo found himself avoiding Tatsuki's intense gaze and ruffling the hair at the back of his neck nervously.

Satisfied with his answer, Tatsuki started walking toward class, not wanting to be late or allow the other girls to harass Orihime too much, despite how excited they might be. Besides, she wasn't sure how comfortable she was with Ichigo knowing too much. She trusted him, sure, but that didn't mean she wanted him to know _this._ _Orihime_ didn't even know… _Then again, if I tell him, will he tell me what he feels for Orihime?_ The thought was fleeting in her mind before she kicked it away. She knew Ichigo, and she knew he would not be so forthcoming, no matter what _she_ confessed. "Who said I like him?" she retorted instead with a flick of her short black hair. It was an oddly feminine gesture Ichigo (or anyone else for that matter) rarely saw her do. "My reasons for asking him are the same as Orihime's for asking you."

His brows pulling down into an even deeper frown than normal, Ichigo hurried to catch up to her, his long strides easily over-taking her shorter ones, despite her pace. "What's that supposed to mean?" he ground out, feeling anger flare within his chest at the memory of his moment of panic, his silence at Orihime's quiet question. The silence that _may_ have changed the way she asked him, if he believed Rukia.

"It means we're going as friends. _Just_ like you and Orihime." The insinuation in her voice was clear, even to Ichigo, who was notoriously dense about such things.

The anger flared even more, igniting a fire that his hollow eagerly grasped a hold of. He didn't _want_ to be going as Orihime's _friend_ and his current position was both infuriating and terrifying. But Tatsuki didn't know that. She _couldn't_ know that. "Bullshit," he spat, his voice taking on the hollow ring that came when his hollow was taking over before he could stop it.

Immediately sensing the change in his voice, Tatsuki turned to look at him, her eyes wide with curiosity, but Ichigo had squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head in an effort to clear the overwhelming anger he felt at feeling so helpless and downright _inadequate_. She eyed him a moment, sensing something going on beneath the surface that was part of what she wasn't privy to, before continuing. "Bullshit _I'm_ lying? Or bullshit _you're_ lying?"

Ichigo felt trapped. Who was he kidding? He _was_ lying, but he wouldn't admit that to Tatsuki. Hell, Rukia had practically had to _rip_ it from him, and he certainly didn't plan on anyone else finding out any time soon; at least not until he figured out what to do. He quickly realized his mistake in asking Tatsuki questions when he wasn't so willing to answer any of his own, something she was already far too familiar and irritated with. Deep within his soul, his hollow cackled mercilessly at his discomfort. While he was relegated to the sidelines so long as Ichigo was in his real body, that didn't keep him from interjecting into Ichigo's thoughts when the desire suited him. Tatsuki putting Ichigo on the spot certainly drew his hollow to the surface; the entire situation causing Ichigo's reiatsu to flare without him realizing it.

"You tell me the truth and I'll tell you the truth," Tatsuki finally offered, her voice low as though they were conspiring. They were.

His rage finally quieted, Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, vaguely aware of the crazed look that remained in them. Tatsuki wasn't fazed as she looked up at him, even if she was curious. Her dogged determination was just one of the many reasons they had become and remained friends; but not for the first time, Ichigo was realizing how big of a problem that could be, and in fact was. He didn't _want_ to fight with her, didn't want to lie to her – especially when he already hated himself for doing it. His argument that he was doing it to protect her was beginning to sound rehearsed and weak. "What do you know?" he finally croaked.

"More than you think," she answered quietly. Her words carried a double meaning, but she wasn't sure if Ichigo would catch it. He did, his breath quietly stilling in his chest as more thoughts than he could process bombarded him. _What_ exactly did she know? How long had she known? How had she found out? Did she know about Orihime and the others? Did she know how he felt about Orihime? Clearly, she at least _suspected_ it… How did she feel about all of this in the first place? Most importantly, _was she now in any danger?!_

The bell rang as they stood in the hallway, staring at each other. Ichigo took a deep breath, completely unsure of what he was going to say, before a voice rang out to them from further down the hall – the voice that made him sigh inwardly with relief and something else he was just barely admitting to. "Tatsuki-chan?! Kurosaki-kun?!"

Tatsuki immediately stepped back from Ichigo, not sure how they grew so close to each other in the first place. Regardless, she didn't miss the way Ichigo immediately both somehow relaxed and tensed at the sound of Orihime's voice and it made her smile as she turned to answer her best friend. _Oh, he's got it bad._ "Coming, Orihime!" When Orihime smiled and disappeared into the classroom, Tatsuki turned over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed into daggers. "If you hurt her, Ichigo, I swear to Kami I will make you wish you were dead," she threatened, her voice low and deadly. Without waiting for a reply, she spun on her heel and ran to class, leaving Ichigo to stare after her, dumbfounded a moment before following.

He didn't so much as make it three steps before the soul badge went off in his pocket. For once grateful for the distraction, Ichigo pulled it from his pocket and looked around the hallway, trying to think of a good place to hide his body. Of course, there were four other soul reapers not fifty feet away who could easily handle the call, but he was the only one who wasn't already in class, and at the moment he seriously needed to take his frustrations out on something. Frowning, he shifted the weight of his bag, slinging it over his shoulder like he usually did, and turned down the hall that headed to the gym. He had an idea.

* * *

Tatsuki arrived in class seconds after Orihime called for her, leaving the healer to stare at the door in confusion when Ichigo didn't immediately appear behind her.

"Nice of you to join us, Arisawa."

Sufficiently contrite, Tatsuki ducked her head as a light dusting of pink peppered her cheeks. "Apologies, Ma'am."

"No Kurosaki?" their teacher immediately questioned, peering out into the hallway before turning back to the class with a shrug as Tatsuki slid into her seat.

It wasn't until Rukia tapped her shoulder, indicating the hollows on her soul pager that Orihime understood why Ichigo didn't show. Even before Rukia tapped a few buttons, showing where Ichigo was moving throughout the school, Orihime knew he was going after them, whether he had backup or not. _Why would he go after them with the others here? Why not let them handle it so he wouldn't have to miss class?_ She no sooner thought the question than knew the answer. _Because he's Ichigo, and he'd rather handle it himself than put anyone else at risk…_ She sighed, turning concerned eyes on the tiny Shinigami sitting behind her even though their teacher had already begun the afternoon lesson. She opened her mouth to speak but was silenced when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Rukia immediately pulled hers out as well. Ichigo had sent them both the same message.

' _I've got the hollows.'_ It was a typical Ichigo message – short and to the point.

' _You idiot. Where are you hiding your BODY?!'_ Rukia furiously texted back, still including Orihime in the messages.

' _In the closet near the gym – the one NO ONE uses.'_

' _You need help?'_ Orihime asked, ignoring Rukia's pointed look, her violet eyes dancing as a gentle smile pulled at the corner of her lips.

Rukia and Orihime exchanged a look before Orihime glanced to the front of the room. When Orihime looked back at Rukia, something in the healer's gaze prompted her to show her Ichigo's position on the soul pager once more. He was still moving. _'Thanks, but I'm fine, Inoue,'_ he replied a moment later.

Orihime's lower lip stuck out gently in a soft pout at his response. Only a few days had passed since they last fought a hollow together, but she had really enjoyed it, despite the circumstances. Was she wrong to think he enjoyed it too? Regardless, she'd honor his wishes and turned back to face the front, determined to at least try and pay attention, even though her mind was on Ichigo. Her phone vibrated a moment later.

' _You could use the help, Ichigo. What was going on in the hallway, anyway? Why the hell was your spiritual pressure so high?! It's no wonder we now have all these damn hollows. You're lucky Orihime WANTS to help you.'_

Upon seeing Rukia's harsh response, Orihime gasped, her hand moving to her mouth to try and quiet her reaction. Although a part of her was grateful for how easily Rukia could speak to Ichigo, how easily she could voice what was on her mind; it was just such familiarity between them that had made her _jealous_ of their relationship not all that long ago. "I can't impose if he already said no!" she whispered, turning over her shoulder to argue with the raven-haired Shinigami.

Renji, who was sitting behind Rukia, peered over her shoulder. "What's Kurosaki up to now?" he grumbled. Toshiro sat leaning forward in his seat just behind the tall red-head, listening to their conversation with thinly veiled interest.

Rukia shot Renji a look before looking back at Orihime. "He's just too proud to ask for help. Go ahead. He'll be happier to see you than any of us, and I'll make sure you don't get in any trouble," she added with a wink.

Her words made Orihime blush brilliantly, warm blood flooding her cheeks as she suddenly had to avert her eyes. Rukia knew Ichigo better than perhaps anyone, and for her to say something like that… As if on cue, the two girls' phones vibrated. _'I'll meet you in the gym, Inoue.'_

Her heart immediately in her throat, Orihime coughed. It was perfectly timed for her needed distraction, despite the fact that it was a true reaction to his acceptance of her help. She never expected him to agree so easily! Even as she gathered her belongings, she struggled to breathe properly, her heart constricted in her throat as butterflies took flight in her stomach. Her hands shook, which was just ridiculous – she'd done this before! Regardless, as soon as she had everything in her bag, she bolted for the classroom door, ignoring her teacher's protests as Rukia's voice rang out in her defense. _I'm coming, Kurosaki-kun!_

* * *

Her footsteps were loud in the deserted halls as she raced to the gym, her book bag bouncing at her hip. She scanned for Ichigo, conscious of his reiatsu, and keeping her senses tuned to the hollows outside that were approaching the school. Like Rukia, she had sensed the flare coming from the hallway before she called for him and Tatsuki – it was impossible not to. _What had they been talking about?_ It hadn't been his usual flare either; it had been dark and angry, mixed with the overwhelming strength and security that came from his. It wasn't quite as severe as when he had been trying to learn how to control his hollow, but it reminded her of that barely contained violence. _What was he so angry about?_

"Kurosaki-kun?" she called once she reached the gym and pulled the door open. It was so dark inside she could scarcely see anything.

She was greeted with silence, the gym nearly pitch-black, but she didn't need her sight to know where Ichigo was. Even though he clearly wasn't in the gym, she couldn't be upset with him – he was already engaged in combat, his reiatsu flaring, but now in a controlled manner. Moving quickly, she ran across the empty gym, using the light seeping in around the poorly sealed outer door to guide her before dumping her book bag on the ground and pulling the door open.

The sight that greeted her made her breath catch and her belly tighten. There was Ichigo, in Shinigami form, swinging Zangetsu as though the blade weighed next to nothing. The hollow he had just been battling disappeared in front of him, its body breaking down into smaller and smaller fragments until those rose into the sky, like smoke. He had no time to rest before the next hollow was bearing down on him, and Orihime took the opportunity to send forth her fairies with a silent command. She simply indicated with her hands where she wanted them to go, thought the command words, and off they went. "Kurosaki-kun!" she cried out in warning. A fraction of a second later, the warm glow of her Santen Kesshun appeared on Ichigo's left, successfully blocking what could have been a damaging hit from a hollow that was taking advantage of his distraction with another one on his right.

Ichigo saw the hollow's strike coming from the corner of his eye and spun, pulling Zangetsu up in a block just as Orihime's Santen Kesshun appeared beside him. The warm yellow glow made him smile as he helped the fairies with the block before spinning around to handle the hollow coming at them from the right.

"Sneaky bastards, aren't they?" he called out to Orihime.

Despite their situation, Orihime was smiling, her smile only growing at Ichigo's nonchalant words. He was in his element when he was fighting – the ease with which he moved and the light in his eyes attested to that. What had her the most concerned was the sheer _number_ of hollows that continued to approach the school. They couldn't all be coming because of Ichigo's incredibly large spiritual pressure, now could they? Regardless, she had to help Ichigo, and so she called for Tsubaki, and sent him out to attack the hollows closest to the substitute soul reaper. At the same time, she ran towards him. "Why are there so many of them?!" she shouted over the din of a roaring hollow, finally voicing her thoughts.

Ichigo's eyes flashed to hers for a moment, and Orihime could swear she saw chagrin cross his features before he turned away, jumping into the air to slash through yet another hollow's mask. He had cleared the immediate vicinity, but more were coming. "We need to go on the offensive," Ichigo reported, ignoring her question. His shoulders tensed, Orihime could see the way they elevated closer to his ears, as he assessed their surroundings with a sweep of his eyes before turning to her with a hand extended. "You ready to run?" he asked. Although he didn't say so, it was clear what he was also asking – if she was willing to ride on his back once again.

She immediately dropped her hand into his, scarcely suppressing a fangirlish squeal when his fingers closed around hers, tugging her closer. "Of course!"

Not a second later, the deafening roar of a Menos reached them, and Ichigo unconsciously pulled Orihime even closer, curling his arm protectively around her as they both looked toward the sound. His grip on her hand tightened and even though the Menos was close, Orihime couldn't stop herself from looking up at Ichigo's defined jaw, his lips pressed into a focused thin line. "We've got to get them away from the school," he finally muttered, dropping his gaze to hers. The focus and determination in his steely gaze immediately changed into something softer, his voice trailing off near the end as Orihime's trusting expression stole his breath away.

She was closer to him than he remembered, having acted completely on instinct when he pulled her into the safety of his arms, but she didn't seem upset by this fact. Their movements and the gentle breeze had blown Orihime's hair across her face and around her neck. Her cheeks were flushed from exertion and possibly excitement, but it was the complete trust and faith in him that was reflected back from her winter gray eyes that made him pause, made his words evaporate as they left his mouth and made him entirely forget that they were in the middle of a battle. When her coral pink lips curled up into a gentle smile, causing her eyes to crinkle, he thought he'd died and gone to heaven. It was the bellow of the Menos that brought him crashing back to reality.

' _ **Nice going there, King. You need me to take over, so you can ogle some more?'**_

The softness in Ichigo's eyes was gone as soon as his hollow spoke, and he shook his head, dropping down into a crouch so that Orihime could climb onto his back. _**'I've got this,'**_ he grumbled to his hollow before calling to Orihime, "Ready?"

She squeezed his shoulders gently, holding herself tightly around his shoulders and pressing firmly into his back – it was more noticeable now that Zangetsu wasn't between them. "Yes!" she called, having to raise her voice above the Menos once more. Ichigo wasted no time in flash-stepping toward the massive beast slowly making its way toward the school. Even with four other soul reapers inside, the majority of hollows thankfully decided to follow them, taking chase after the two like dogs after a squirrel.

Ichigo was more or less leading them on a wild-goose chase, drawing the hollows and Menos away from the school so he could battle them in the open. It was a way to minimize the damage as well as keep them away from potential prying eyes. In the dead silence, he finally decided to answer Orihime's question. "The other night, Rukia told me an experiment went wrong in the Soul Society. They were trying to create another way for souls and soul reapers to travel between the sereitei and the world of the living, but something happened. That's why there were so many." Well, he _partially_ answered her question.

"Why would they do that?" she asked, immediately bringing a smirk to Ichigo's lips.

"I asked the same thing." He skidded to a halt, brandishing Zangetsu as a hollow crossed their path. "The others better not be making this problem _worse,_ " he growled, blocking a swipe from a claw-like leg with Zangetsu.

Orihime clung to Ichigo's back as the force of his block reverberated through him and therefore into her. He was pushed back several feet, but continued to hold his ground, shoving the claw-like limb aside and flash-stepping behind the crustaceanesque hollow. "They do always seem to bring more with them, don't they?" she muttered, blood staining her cheeks even as she said the words. She'd never admitted such thoughts out loud before!

Ichigo chuckled after lobbing off a claw. "So, you noticed that too, huh?"

Orihime's answer was a squeal as he took to the air, leaping over the hollow's other claw as it swung at them and bringing Zangetsu down in front of him with such force, Orihime thought she was going to be thrown over his shoulders. She clutched on as tightly as she could, burying her face in his shoulder and tightening her legs around his waist in attempt to maintain her grasp. "Sorry," he murmured, nudging his head against hers softly before taking off towards the next one. Orihime was so stunned by his subtle show of affection, she couldn't speak, not until her feet were firmly on the ground once more. Ichigo, for his part, was just as shocked by his actions as she was and was too busy berating himself for being so casual to speak. Although a small part of him could admit the casual gesture felt nice, felt _right,_ but a bigger part of him was on the verge of panic. _How the hell did that happen? What was I thinking? Damn it! Did she notice?!_ His mind raced with near panicked thoughts and questions before the hollows demanded his full attention once more.

Nearly an hour later, Zangetsu effortlessly cut through the last Menos mask, the beast falling to the ground with such force the surrounding trees shook, before it slowly evaporated into dark clouds of energy. Orihime watched it depart with mixed feelings. She'd used Tsubaki more than she perhaps ever had, the tiny red fairy panting as he returned to her side; but what bothered her more was that there were so many hollows to begin with – so many souls that had been so distorted that they turned into monsters…

"Inoue?" Ichigo's gentle voice brought her from her reverie as he returned to her side, securing Zangetsu at his back and wiping sweat from his brow with his sleeve.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, a smile immediately flashed across Orihime's lips, drawing a smile from Ichigo as Tsubaki returned to her pin. Now that the fighting was done, Orihime allowed herself to feel the fatigue she had been fighting and collapsed to the ground with a huff, her legs splayed in front of her. To her utter surprise, Ichigo sat beside her, careful to keep his eyes from hers, but close nonetheless.

"I'm sorry that took so long," he mumbled. "There were a lot more than I expected."

"You don't have to apologize, Kurosaki-kun."

His eyes, molten pools of mocha when they finally met hers, told her he felt differently. "Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes searching her for signs of injury. She'd taken plenty of hits, blocking them with her Santen Kesshun, and each and every one had made his heart fall into his stomach.

Suddenly feeling very shy under his scrutiny, Orihime curled her limbs inward as though to protect herself from his searching gaze. "I'm fine!" she squeaked.

He sighed, flopping back onto his back with his arms spread wide. He allowed himself to dwell in the peace of the moment, despite the chill to the air, as he stared up at the blanket of stratus clouds above them. Tiny snowflakes continued to fall, although he had been too busy to notice them until they caressed his face with tiny cold kisses. "Thank you."

Orihime planted a hand behind her so she could turn to look at him, her brow furrowed in confusion. "For what?" His eyes drifted to hers and Orihime found herself wishing she had the confidence to join him – to just fall onto her back at his side, or perhaps snuggle against him, as his breath slowly returned to normal. Even without touching him, she could feel the warmth emanating from his body, and it drew her closer, even if it also pushed her away.

"For helping me," he answered softly, forcing himself to keep her gaze despite the discomfort welling in his chest. He never liked to admit when he needed help, but it was different with her. When she had offered he had said no in an effort to keep her safe, not because he didn't think she would be helpful, and not because he didn't think he would need it. Although his soul badge didn't have all the features of the soul pagers, he didn't need their screens to tell him he was going to be facing a lot of hollows. It had been impossible _not_ to sense the large number of them.

"Oh," Orihime breathed, forcing herself to take the plunge and lay down beside him. She was careful not to touch him, didn't want to risk encroaching too far into his personal space, but her heart still hammered at her ribs with more force than it had throughout their entire fight. His eyes followed her trek to the ground with barely hidden interest, which only made the knot of nervousness in her belly tighten. "You don't have to thank me, Kurosaki-kun," she answered with a smile, using his own words against him.

He smiled crookedly, light flashing in his eyes as he looked at her, his gaze lingering on the details of her face. She had laid on her side, facing him, and it was only too easy for him to imagine pulling her into the circle of his arms, her head resting easily against his chest as she snuggled to him. Or perhaps he could finish what he'd nearly started after their last hollow battle… _Fuuuuuuck,_ he breathed, biting his tongue to force said images away. _No! Inappropriate! Completely inappropriate!_ "Yes, I do," he bantered instead, his hollow's chuckle reverberating through his mind.

Orihime's smile grew, as did the temperature in her cheeks, as she suddenly averted her eyes. Her hands pulled up to her chest before she rolled to her back, forcing her eyes to the sky and away from the substitute soul reaper who was too close for her mind to function correctly. Her mind raced with things to say – both wanting to prolong their banter and also afraid to. _Is this what flirting's like,_ she absently wondered as she worried over what to say and what _not_ to say. _I'm_ awful _at this!_ She wanted to scream inwardly as the silence stretched on between them, even though it wasn't necessarily uncomfortable. "I'm sure you'll find some way to make it up to me," she finally blurted, wanting to smack her hands over her mouth the moment the words left her lips.

Ichigo chuckled, his mind mulling over her words in more ways than one. _Is she… flirting?!_ He wanted to believe she was but was also just as nervous of the possibility. He certainly didn't have the experience to be confident in his own skills on the subject, but the heat in her face had to be a good sign, didn't it? "I'll pay you back somehow," he drawled, biting his tongue once more in an effort to hide his smile.

Her head snapped in his direction, her lips parted in surprise as he repeated their previous conversation, only this time with their roles reversed. "Kurosaki-kun!" she chastised, suddenly wanting any excuse to touch him, even if it was just in jest. For once she gave in to said desires, gently shoving him in the chest. He simply chuckled in response, his eyes drifting closed as he breathed in the moment. The look of pure contentment on his face was contagious, and before Orihime knew it, she found herself smiling gently, her eyes searching his face much as they had the night he fell asleep on her floor. Looking at him like this, when he was at peace and yet _awake,_ a smile toying with his lips only made the band around her heart tighten. Could she really keep up the charade of only wanting to be his friend? Although the alternative terrified her, she was beginning to doubt she could, especially not after experiencing the brief but gentle display of affection earlier. Did he even realize he'd done it?

Although he would much rather spend the afternoon drowning in the pools of Orihime's eyes, Ichigo reluctantly sat up with a groan. _He_ was getting cold from the snow at his back, so he was sure Orihime was well beyond that. "We'd better head back."

Disappointment flooded through Orihime's chest like a wave, causing her lower lip to stick out softly. While Ichigo was right, and she felt the cold seeping into her bones, she didn't want to leave; didn't want to go back to class and be forced into the roles they so consistently played. She liked this side of Ichigo, this playful side she only recently began to see, but he didn't show it to everyone and she wasn't sure when she'd get the chance to see it again. Hoping to draw out their time together, she pulled her phone from her pocket and checked the time as she sat up beside him. They still had two hours left of class… "What are you going to tell the teacher for your absence?"

Surprised by the question, Ichigo looked at her with a slack face. "What are _you_ going to tell her?"

Finding herself in the same position he did, Orihime laughed. "Maybe we won't be going back to class!" she giggled.

' _ **I can think of many things better than going to class.'**_

Ichigo didn't argue with his hollow, finally admitting that the white beastly part of him was right – there were lots of things he'd rather do than go back to class, all of which included the auburn-haired healer in front of him, but not all of which were strictly friendly. Not that he could or would admit that out loud. "Then come with me to get my body and we'll find something else to do." The words spilled from his lips before he could process them, and Ichigo looked just as surprised as Orihime did when he realized what he'd said. When she said nothing and instead simply looked at him with wide eyes, he stood, extending his hand down to her once more as he awkwardly cleared his throat. _Fucking idiot,_ he cursed himself, careful to keep his face neutral as he said to her, "Come on, let's head back."

Still unsure of what he meant with his words, Orihime gingerly placed her hand in his. She certainly _wanted_ to spend the rest of the afternoon with him, but is that really what _he_ meant? Dare she hope?

When they arrived back at the school, Ichigo loosened his hold on the back of Orihime's thighs, feeling her slip down his back with an inward groan. _This just keeps getting harder,_ he grumbled to himself, inwardly cursing the urge to grab her and keep her with him. Ever since she'd slid from his back the first time, his hands grazing along her thighs and hips, he hadn't been able to shake the sensation from his mind – the desire to do so again only growing each time she clung to his back. Rather than act on such heathenish wants, he doggedly focused on keeping his hands in appropriate locations, completely unaware that Orihime suffered from the same tactile memories – only wanting to prolong their contact as she slid down his back until her feet delicately graced the ground.

They stood just outside the gym, the door they'd used to get out in front of them. They would be lucky if it was unlocked, but Ichigo tried it anyway, tugging on the door and sighing with relief when it opened. It opened into the complete darkness of the gym, the only light coming from the open door in Ichigo's grasp. He indicated she should go first with a sweep of his hand, and Orihime shyly tucked her hair behind her ear as she ducked under his arm and into the overwhelming darkness. "Kurosaki-kun?" she whispered, turning around to face him as he stepped inside. The door closed quietly behind him, shrouding them in darkness. She could scarcely see him in the dark, but she could make out the white handle of Zangetsu over his shoulder. She wanted to ask him if he was serious, if they would truly spend the rest of the afternoon together, but she didn't know _how._

Ichigo could just barely make out the lightness of Orihime's face, looking up at him with uncertainty painted across her features. She'd brushed her hair behind her ear, something he was beginning to understand she did when nervous, but then clasped her hands behind her back. Tension grew in the air between them, nearly palpable in its intensity, and while he hated the feeling of awkwardness, he wasn't ready to leave. "I'll be right back?" he murmured, carefully inflecting his voice at the end in hopes she'd understand what he was truly asking – if she _wanted_ him to come back – if she wanted to spend more time with him.

A smile lit across her features, relief evident only to her as she rocked back and forth on her feet. "Okay!" she chirped.

The desire to run his knuckles against the softness of her cheek hit him so strongly, he had to clench his hands into fists as he turned away from her and carefully made his way toward the hall and the closet his body was hidden in. His desire to return to the auburn-haired healer behind him only made him move faster in the darkness.

Orihime watched Ichigo leave until he opened the door to the hallway and disappeared from sight before letting out a heavy sigh. "What was that?!" she whispered aloud to herself, confused and yet excited by the tension she had felt building in the air between them. Her insides felt like pleasant mush, her heart fairly singing, but she still felt so confused. The little blue men threw thoughts in her mind that distracted her from her own and kept her whirling in uncertainty. She was _ditching_ class with Ichigo! She'd never ditched or missed school without cause – be it illness or other incidences involving the soul society, hollows, and Hueco Mundo (the last made her shudder with the memory). No, what she and Ichigo were about to do was completely different, and while it made her nervous (out of fear of getting caught), it also excited her so much she wanted to squeal. Pure adrenaline shot through her, adrenaline of a different kind than from the battle, and she couldn't stop herself from clasping her hands in front of her chest and twirling in a circle; a quiet and subdued squeal of happiness scarcely buried within her throat. Beaming, she pulled her phone from her pocket to use the flashlight and find her book bag. After slinging it over her shoulder, she turned off the light (not wanting to get caught) and waited for Ichigo's return.

* * *

Returning to the closet was easy, getting _out_ of the closet was hard. Although no one used the barren closet Ichigo had left his body in, enough people passed by in the hallway that he had to wait longer than he anticipated before he could dart out of it. His bookbag was slung easily over his shoulder as he waited until he could no longer hear any footsteps before opening the door and rushing into the hallway. He didn't need people questioning what he was doing.

As Ichigo approached the gym, a fear he hadn't allowed himself to acknowledge became realized – the gym teacher was milling around. Or was it the basketball coach? He wasn't sure. He didn't bother paying attention to such things. What the issue was, was how could he get into the gym undetected, and was Orihime even still hiding in there with him poking around outside? After careful consideration, and eying the "coach" putting up signs on the main gym doors, he hurried past to the boys' locker room. Thankfully, there was more than one way to get into the gym.

Still enshrouded in darkness, Orihime peered around her, hearing sounds coming from outside the gym doors that set the hair on the back of her neck on edge. _Oh, no! This is it, we're caught! It'll be detention for the rest of the year! They'll ban us from going to the dance! I won't be allowed to have any more classes with Kurosaki-kun!_ As her mind thought of the worst, she backed along the wall, moving closer to the pushed in stands in order to allow for a quick hiding place if need be. A soft scuffling sound came from behind her, so sudden in its appearance a whine of surprise rose into her throat that was immediately cut off as a rough hand clamped over her mouth and she was jerked back against a solid chest. Surprise and more than a little fear flashed through her, and she squealed but the sound was suffocated by the hand covering her mouth. Strong arms gripped her, and she squirmed, her hands coming up to pull at the vice-like arm holding her in attempt to break free until a familiar voice whispered deeply in her ear, "Inoue, it's me."

Shock ran through her in a wave and she gasped, her eyes growing wide as she stilled. _How did I not sense his reiatsu?!_ He immediately released her and took a step back, his reiatsu still completely hidden. It was then that she realized his head had been resting against hers, and the warmth that had caressed her neck had been his breath. _He'd been_ that _close?!_ Her cheeks immediately flushed a brilliant red at the thought."Kurosaki-kun?" she whispered, whipping around to face him. She could scarcely see him in the dark, the handle of Zangetsu gone. "Why can't I sense you?!"

He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry if I scared you, but the coach is right outside," he jerked his thumb toward the doors she'd heard rattling, "and I didn't want to risk getting caught."

His words sent a thrill through her like a jolt. Her cheeks fairly tingled with the excitement as her heart fluttered beneath her ribs. Despite herself, she giggled, although she was able to keep the sound soft and quiet, partially hiding her mouth with her own hands. Ichigo took her laughter as affirmation and smiled softly, indicating the door they'd only recently passed through from the outside. "Shall we go?"

Latching onto his arm without thinking about it, Orihime bounced happily. "Yes!" she whisper-shouted in her excitement.

A crooked grin made his features even more handsome as they stepped back into the overcast afternoon light. The snow continued to fall, the flakes larger and falling faster than during their battle with the hollows; their footprints in the preexisting snow already becoming obliterated. Just like a child, Orihime released his arm to hold her bare hands up, catching snowflakes on her fingers and the palms of her hands just to watch them melt a moment later. The simple act brought her such joy, it made Ichigo want to mimic her, to do anything to prolong the sweet smile gracing her features, but he refrained. It was something he wouldn't be caught dead doing otherwise. To do so now would totally out his motivations in his mind, and he couldn't allow that. So, he simply slowed, not sure of their destination anyway, watching the girl he was head over heels for dance in the snow until his phone vibrated in his pocket.

' _The hollows are gone. Where are you?'_ It was Rukia, outside of the shared message they'd had earlier that included Orihime.

Annoyed by her interruption, Ichigo quickly replied, _'Out.'_

' _What the hell does that mean?!'_ Her reply was almost instantaneous.

' _It means I didn't feel like going back to class and trying to explain what happened!'_

' _Then where's Orihime?'_

Ichigo gulped as he looked up, the beauty in question returning to his side. _'With me.'_ He felt his cheeks darken unbidden and lowered his head, hoping Orihime wouldn't see or at the least would think it was due to the cold.

' _WHAT?!'_ He could practically hear Rukia's screech through the text message, even though her eyes would no doubt be shining mischievously. Rather than answer her, he slipped his phone back into his pocket as Orihime beamed a brilliant smile up at him.

Now that they were _alone_ and planned on spending more time together, with no clear goal in mind, Ichigo found himself completely out of his comfort zone. Should he take her somewhere to eat? Should they get some more coffee? Or would those seem too much like a 'date'? Should they just walk around together? Would she get too cold? Should he make a suggestion or ask her? _Damn it,_ he grumbled. _Come on, Ichigo! Things were so easy when we were studying…_ Sighing inwardly at his own discomfort, he decided to wing it, like he'd done so often before in his life. "Well, Inoue, what should we do with all this free time?"

His eyes were sparkling and there was a lilt in his voice that normally wasn't there. The smirk curling up one side of his lips told Orihime that he was teasing, but it only made her smile widen as she slipped her arms around his once more without thought. The movement was easy and strangely automatic, but once she realized what she'd done, her breath caught in her throat as she prepared for the worst reaction. It was too late to retreat as she pressed her lips together nervously, but her fear was unfounded as Ichigo didn't pull away or shrug her off. Instead, he stepped closer to her side, closing what small distance had remained between them so much so that she could feel his warmth at her side. Relief flooded through her and heat warmed her cheeks with nervousness (and more than a little excitement) as her breath returned to fuel her pattering heart. She would have been surprised to know that Ichigo felt the same, scarcely able to suppress a gasp when she pressed herself against his arm without warning. The sensation of Orihime tightly gripping his arm, the limb being drawn between her breasts surely without her thinking about it, made his ears turn red and his belly tighten. He was too focused on the woman beside him to pay attention to his hollow's quiet chuckling.

They walked in silence a few moments, in no hurry to go anywhere, when Orihime suddenly gasped, jolting somewhat beside Ichigo but not releasing his arm. "Oh, I know!"

Ichigo peered down at her out of the corner of his eye, the redness to his ears successfully repressed as he raised a curious eyebrow. "Yeah?"

In her excitement, Orihime pulled her arms from his, missing the way Ichigo's face fell the moment she left him. Her thoughts were running too wild for her to pay attention as she skipped in front of him and then turned so she was walking backwards, clasping her hands in front of her. Ichigo couldn't take his eyes off her. Not only was she even more gorgeous with a dusting of pink to her nose and cheeks and with her eyes sparkling like they contained stars; but also, because he was _certain_ she was going to trip and fall. "Let's go sledding!"

Her words took him by surprise and he stopped, his brow furrowed. "What?"

"Sledding, Kurosaki-kun!" Her face fell as she stopped as well, cocking her head to the side curiously as she looked up at him. "You do know what sledding is, right?" she asked softly as images of growing up without sledding flashed behind her eyes – no trudging up hills hauling a sled behind him, no flying down on the sled, the wind whipping his cheeks and tousling his hair, no rampant bumps that would make him roll through the fresh powder, no hot chocolate to warm him up after…

Had anyone else asked him such a thing, Ichigo would have snapped a response, his voice crisp and harsh with irritation; but this was Orihime, and instead he chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck. "Of course I know what sledding is," he replied. "But do you know where we can find a sled? My sisters and I broke ours last year and haven't gotten another one." As soon as the words left his mouth he wanted to cringe. He hadn't been planning on revealing so much with his answer, but why didn't it bother him so much that _she_ knew?

Her smile returning full force, Orihime clasped her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth from her toes to her heels. "I've got one!" The little blue men gave her an idea then, and she pressed a finger to her chin as her eyes grew distant. "Oooh, and afterwards we can have hot chocolate with marshmallows!"

 _What? She's talking about_ normal _food?!_ Ichigo couldn't help his surprise, but it was short-lived as Orihime's face lit up even more.

"Oh! And we can't forget the wasabi and red bean paste!"

 _Aaaand there she is,_ he chuckled to himself, unable to stop the grin that quickly spread across his face. "Sounds good, Inoue, but I'll skip the red bean paste and wasabi."

Not allowing herself to think, Orihime all but jumped to Ichigo's side and grasped his arm once more, flashing a smile as white as the snow surrounding them. Her giggle warmed Ichigo's heart near to bursting as it threatened to run right out of his chest. "Ha! Of course!"

* * *

 _A/N: Whew! I've been working on this for what feels like forever but working nights has been killing me. I'm going to apologize again for the long wait, but I actually have the next chapter (or it might be the chapter after, depending on how things go) mostly written so there will be a short wait in here somewhere! ;) I hope you enjoyed this! I couldn't help but progress things between our two favorites a little bit, but please let me know what you think! And of course, how you felt about Ichigo and Tatsuki's "silent" argument. Hehe._

 _Thank you all for following, favoriting, and reviewing this story. It really does mean a lot and pushes me to try to get things out faster so y'all don't have to wait. What sparked the idea for this story hasn't even come to fruition yet, so there's more to come! LoL._

 _As always, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo._


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: I sincerely wanted to get this out_ _ **a lot**_ _sooner, but there were a few places/transitions I stumbled over, and my work schedule or migraines/headaches have been killing me. So, I'm sorry for the wait and I promise the next chapter is nearly finished already, so it shouldn't be long for the next update! Enjoy!_

 _PS: If you've gotten this far in this story, I'm assuming you'll be able to tell when Ichigo is talking with his hollow, so I'm going to stop explaining that at the beginning from now on, lol._

* * *

They arrived at Orihime's house covered in a dusting of snow, their cheeks and noses flushed red from the cold. Since lunch, the temperature outside had dropped, and considerably more snow had fallen. They hadn't noticed earlier due to their exertions fighting the hollows, but now their breath plumed in front of them and if it weren't for their heavy coats, hats, and gloves (some of which they'd donned on the way to Orihime's), the two would be downright freezing.

As they trudged up the steps to the apartment, Orihime felt her insides quiver nervously. It had been so easy to suggest they go sledding, but as they walked, Ichigo's arm grasped within her own (she still couldn't believe he hadn't pulled away), she'd realized how _close_ they would have to be on the sled. She only had one sled and it wasn't large, but it wasn't small either. She knew from experience that if two people were on the device, they _had_ to be close or risk tipping. Her heart hammered beneath her ribs at the thought, the blood pounding so fiercely in her ears she almost missed Ichigo's soft comment at her side when he felt her shiver.

"You sure it's not too cold, Inoue?"

He was holding the door open for her once she'd unlocked it, his arm freed from her grasp as they'd mounted the stairs. Her eyes widened at his words, the fear he was trying to bail on their plans strong as it gripped her, and she spun quickly on her toes to face him. "Of course not!" When Ichigo pointedly looked at her, his eyebrow raised and his gaze purposely falling briefly to her legs, she gasped, pressing her knees together on instinct. "Oh, right!" Although she was wearing thick and high stockings, she was still wearing a skirt – not good attire for sledding. She'd freeze for sure! Not to mention, if something were to happen, her skirt might flare up at just the wrong time… In front of Ichigo… Her hands flew to her flaming cheeks at the thought, smacking them loudly in the stillness of her apartment as she let out a tiny squeak in horror. "Eep! Let me just go change!" she blurted before running off down the hallway before Ichigo could so much as respond.

Ichigo watched Orihime disappear down the hallway with confusion and mirth written across his features. It had taken a lot of nerve for him to pointedly look at her legs, to acknowledge he paid much attention to them at all. At least he had been able to do so under the true guise of being concerned for her well-being. _She shouldn't think anything about it, right?_ Forcing thoughts of her legs ( _her legs, damn it)_ from his mind, Ichigo cleared his throat as he unceremoniously dropped his book bag near the door. It was the same place he'd carefully set Zangetsu after taking down the bear-like hollow with Orihime – the night she'd asked him to the dance. It was a night full of fond memories. Like her, he truly enjoyed the time they spent fighting together and the way it felt to carry her with him as he flash-stepped after the beast. The gentle warmth of her Soten Kisshun as she healed him, and the look in her eyes when she asked him to the dance were still perfect images in his mind. _She'd been so nervous…_ He had to have been blind not to see that, and as he looked back on it, he cursed himself for being such a damned idiot.

Orihime came out as he cursed himself, and he couldn't help the heat that flushed through him at the sight of her. Even if she was covered in warm dark blue pants, a tight white sweater, and heavy boots, the smile she beamed at him as she came out from her bedroom with her hair pulled into a messy bun at the back of her neck set his blood aflame. Her hair was typically down, so he didn't usually get such an uninhibited view of her delicate neck or the gentle curve of her collarbones visible above the scooped neckline of her shirt. _Her neck…_ It was just as inviting as the rest of her, if not more so, and he found himself lost for words as she clomped to his side. "Ready, Kurosaki-kun?"

He had to swallow before he could speak. _Kami, I'm in so much trouble…_ Regardless, he smiled. "All we need is the sled."

"Oh!" she gasped, jumping back from him to turn to the hall closet. "Right!"

He chuckled quietly as he followed after her. Boots, coats, games, and other outdoor gear were jammed into the closet so much so that he had to pull the sled out for her; not that he minded. She had to crouch below him to move some things out of the way (and hold others in) while he pulled the sled out from above her, careful not to bash her with it once it finally came free. "Got it!" he cheered, lifting it out above her head before she stood up in front of him. Her face was flushed from what he assumed was exertion.

Orihime swallowed nervously before she stood up and turned around, a tight smile on her lips as she looked up into Ichigo's eyes. True, getting the sled out had been a struggle for both of them, but her face was warm from being so close to Ichigo – his legs brushing against her back without him realizing it as they worked together to free their piece of recreational equipment. _I've got to get a grip,_ she berated herself inwardly just as Ichigo stepped back from her. It was then that she realized he was still in his uniform – the pants not the warmest and his shoes definitely not meant for trudging through the snow. He was too busy messing with the sled to notice her wandering eyes. "Um," she hesitated, her cheeks suddenly burning once she realized she'd definitely been checking him out, and it wasn't the first time. "K-Kurosaki-kun?"

"Hmm?" he hummed in response, glancing up at her. His deep voice made her cheeks flush even more.

"A-are you going to be warm enough?" she asked, her voice soft and quiet as she pulled her white hat on and down over her ears. She had to keep her hands busy or risk him seeing their shaking.

Ichigo's own cheeks immediately darkened, his eyes widening as he cleared his throat nervously. "I'll be fine, Inoue," he answered with a smile that looked easier than it was. He wasn't used to being worried over, even if it was Orihime. Deciding it was better to change the subject and get the hell out of the suddenly confined quarters of Orihime's apartment, he pulled his black hat lower down over his ears and swung his arm toward the door. "Let's go."

She smiled, bounding past him as he once more held the door open for her. After she locked it behind them, he kept a careful eye on her as they descended the stairs, more than halfway considering carrying her down the snow-covered steps for her own sake. He didn't, and she made it safely to the ground without his aid, even if it took more concentration on her part than she cared to admit. Without another word, they set off toward Karakura Hill – Ichigo more than a little disappointed when she didn't grasp his arm once more; choosing instead to clasp her gloved hands in front of her while he drug the sled behind them.

Once they found themselves at the top of Karakura Hill, Ichigo both was and wasn't surprised to find the place deserted. Even though it was a Friday and he had no doubt the hill would be crawling with kids and teenagers alike within a few hours, at the moment they were all still in school. They had the place to themselves, the thought of which made a knot form warmly in his stomach as his hollow chuckled in the recesses of his mind.

"Look, Kurosaki-kun! We're the first ones here!" Orihime chimed, excitedly pointing to the virgin snow that glistened before them. There were at least several inches of fresh powder before them, untouched by the likes of man and animal alike.

How long had it been since he'd done this? "You come sledding often?" he asked, his eyes dancing and reflecting back the white powder surrounding them when he looked at her.

Orihime buried her face in her scarf, suddenly nervous under Ichigo's penetrating gaze. "It's been a while," she admitted shyly, her eyes suddenly looking anywhere but his. In truth, she loved sledding. She loved the thrill and excitement that came with barreling down a hill of snow on little more than an elaborate piece of plastic. The problem was, after Sora died, she didn't have anyone to take her. Even when she was older and had Tatsuki, the two rarely did things like go sledding; although they did – it just wasn't as often as Orihime would like. And regardless of how much she wanted to go, she just never felt right going by herself… But was any of that something she should tell Ichigo?

Noticing Orihime seemed lost in thought, Ichigo dropped the sled, clouds of white fluff billowing up from around it and settling at their feet. Orihime giggled at the sudden movement, hiding her jump of surprise. Little did she know, Ichigo's heart was pounding in his chest, tight with nervousness as he realized he'd have to find out how they were doing this one way or another. The hill was tall, known for sledding for a reason, and the trek up from the bottom would take at least a couple minutes. Plus, if they got enough momentum up and didn't stop in time, they would go right into a small copse of trees. Not that that happened often, but with Orihime's luck, Ichigo wouldn't put it past her to go flying right into them, no doubt striking more than one in her flight. The thought alone made him cringe. Regardless, he didn't want to _assume_ anything… "You want to go first?" he offered, begrudgingly.

Her face fell at the suggestion. _This isn't how I thought we'd be doing this!_ She panicked inwardly, hiding the fact by toying with the ends of her scarf. "I'm not very good at it," she breathed, averting her eyes as she toed a small mound of snow into a pile.

Inwardly sighing with relief, Ichigo smiled and scarcely suppressed the urge to cup her chin to make her look at him. He hated seeing her look so dejected… "Then we'll go down together," he answered easily, shrugging as though it was the most logical explanation and therefore meant nothing to him; when in fact he was burning with excitement inside, his chest tightening pleasantly as his silent wish was granted.

"Really?!" she squealed, jumping lightly on her toes with excitement. The movement made Ichigo chuckle as he stepped back, giving her space to sit on the sled first while he held it steady.

"Get on," he commanded softly, his heart thudding loudly in his ears as she settled on the sled and he gently sat down behind her, carefully arranging his legs on either side of her. She stiffened as the sled shifted with his weight, his feet touching the front of the sled but no part of him touching her. "You want to steer?" he asked, rightfully fearing for his life, but also too afraid to reach his arms around her and do it himself. It was bad enough he was _straddling_ her with his legs!

"I'll try!" she chirped, grasping the thick corded rope that was connected to the front of the sled in her hands. It was good to have something to hold onto, no matter what it was, as her heart pounded away in her throat. She'd clung to Ichigo's back before, sure, but this felt like something _entirely_ different. This had nothing to do with battling hollows and protecting others. It was just the _two of them,_ doing something simply because they could _and they wanted to_ , which made all the difference in her eyes. _If only he'd scoot a little closer…_ A frustrated cry choked in her throat at the thought, and she barely managed to keep herself from shaking the thoughts from her head. _No! I can't think like that!_

Behind her, Ichigo was struggling with the same realization. With his long legs, he had no choice but to brace against the raised front lip of the sled, but that also allowed him to hold himself away from the woman in front of him, pressing himself back from her so as not to encroach upon her personal space, no matter how much he wanted to, or how much he knew he _needed_ to under the circumstances.

' _ **You're seriously wasting a perfectly good opportunity here, King,'**_ his hollow pointed out tactlessly and with more than a little disappointment ringing in his hollowed voice.

' _ **Don't remind me,'**_ Ichigo grumbled, gritting his teeth. He'd have to hold on to the sides of the sled rather than the steering cord (which really did very little steering and he knew it) or Orihime – both of which were more appealing options. To Orihime, he leaned forward and asked, "Ready?"

She squealed with anticipation and cried, "Yes!" When he pushed them forward with his hands, she immediately tensed as they teetered on the edge a moment before tipping and plummeting down the hill, her stomach dropping with the sudden change. A happy scream tore itself from her throat as she pulled back on the cord in an attempt to hold on, the wind whipping against her cheeks as Ichigo's joyful whoop was carried away in their wake. It was freeing, flying down the hill on nothing but a heavy piece of plastic, laughing and screaming her fears and concerns away as they plummeted down the hillside, throwing up snow in their wake. Her cheeks burned pleasantly from the wind and cold, her heart light and happy in her chest. It was fun and exciting regardless, but what made it even better for her was the fact that Ichigo was with her, enjoying the moment _with her_ , and apparently just as much as she was. "Kurosaki-kun!" she cried out with joy, wishing more than anything that his arms were around her, holding her in place and grounding her sudden elation.

Ichigo chuckled behind her, the delight and happiness in Orihime's voice completely contagious. They were halfway down the hill before he knew it, her body sliding back toward his from the sheer force of their descent (not that he minded), when they suddenly hit a bump. The sled left the ground, airborne from the sudden change in topography, before landing with a jolt that shifted their weight and caused the sled to turn sharply to the right.

"Ahhh!" Orihime screamed as she felt the sled shifting beneath them.

"Shit!" Ichigo barked the moment he realized they were turning to the side and the sled was tipping. "Hold on!" He automatically reached forward and grasped her around the waist just as the sled tipped, spilling both of them from its careening surface and leaving them to roll through the snow.

They tumbled together, a tangle of legs as Ichigo tried to protect Orihime from the worst of it. It wasn't a hard fall, but they had been going so fast they tumbled the rest of the way down the hill before he could stop them, digging in with his heels to slow their momentum as he held Orihime to his chest. They came to a stop fifty yards from the tree line, snow swirling in the air around them, and both of them panting.

"You all right?" Ichigo immediately questioned, reluctant to let the healer out of his grasp.

To his surprise and delight, Orihime laughed. She howled with laughter, her body shaking against his as she cackled. "That was so much fun!"

Her laugh was contagious, wiggling its way through his worry and concern, to make him laugh as well. It wasn't until cold started to seep into his back, a result of the snow that had gotten dragged up the back of his coat and under his shirt, that he let her go. She immediately rolled off him and pushed herself up with her hands. Her cheeks were flushed an adorable pink as she continued to giggle, her hair messy as it stuck out from under her now cock-eyed hat. She was covered in a light coating of snow. It was with horror that Ichigo realized how much he wanted to kiss her then, just grab her by the arms and kiss her without ceremony and without question. He had, in fact, been reaching to pull her back to him when he suddenly realized what he was doing and buried his hands in the snow. _No! Stop it!_

' _ **Just do it!'**_ his hollow argued.

Blood rushed to his face as his hollow voiced exactly what he wanted. But how would Orihime react to that? He was so lost in thought, that he didn't realize Orihime was pushing herself up to her feet, dusting her pants off and stomping her boots in the snow. "I guess I failed my driving test, huh?" she asked, her smile wide enough to close her eyes as she looked down at him. She also knew the cord did nothing to help steer the sled, but it was a pleasant fiction they shared, and she wasn't about the burst it.

Lurching to his feet, Ichigo cleared his throat, suppressing his desire as he likewise dusted himself off and shook the snow from inside his clothes. He was just as covered in snow as she was, if not more so. "Oh, I don't think you did _that_ bad," he teased, nudging her in the arm with his elbow as he turned to get the sled. "But maybe _I'll_ drive next time!" he called back over his shoulder. Her responding gasp made him smile as she ran to catch up with him.

"Kurosaki-kun!" she chastised with a sly smile, finally readjusting her hat.

Bending down to retrieve the sled, Ichigo cracked another smile at her. _Why is it so easy to smile around her? It's like I can't stop…_ "I'll tell you what," he started, eying the hill in front of them. "If you beat me to the top of the hill, I'll let you drive."

Orihime's brow knitted in a frown that was very uncharacteristic of her, except when she was in battle or solely focused on a task. Ichigo saw this with growing excitement – she was taking him seriously. "Deal," she agreed shortly with a curt nod.

"Starting," he began, tightening his grip on the sled.

"Now!" she shouted, bursting forward with a speed that surprised him. He gaped after her a moment, his heart light and dancing in his chest as she kicked up snow behind her, before chasing after her.

The hill was long and steep, their speed quickly dwindling as they ascended. Ichigo had the sled as a handicap, but even so, his long legs and superior strength quickly overtook the auburn-haired healer at his side, regardless of her surprising speed. When he reached the summit, he was both winded and laughing, feeling freer than he had in months just by playing in the snow with the woman he cared so much for. "I win!" he cheered the moment Orihime reached his side.

Panting, Orihime glowered playfully at him before sticking her tongue out. She turned around as though to shun him, folding her arms across her chest, but Ichigo saw the smile pulling at the side of her lips regardless. He chose to ignore the pink tint in her cheeks as he moved slightly to the right of their original path in an effort to avoid the same bump that had thrown them from the sled. Without ceremony, in an attempt to make the whole situation seem less nerve-wracking than it suddenly was, Ichigo dropped the sled on the ground before settling onto it. "You ready?" he asked, looking up at her for a change and extending his hand as an offer to help.

Orihime's heart caught in her throat at the sight of Ichigo – strong, protective, and often angry Ichigo – sitting on a sled with his legs spread for her, looking up at her with an impish grin and expectant eyes. _How did this happen? When did I get so lucky?!_ She never in a million years thought they would be doing something like this together, having _so much fun_ with just the two of them. _What would Tatsuki think?_ Her brows knitted as she thought of her best friend with a quiet gasp. _What_ would _Tatsuki think?_

"Inoue?" Ichigo's voice suddenly brought her back to the present with a start.

"Yes!" she chimed, moving forward to gently grip his hand and drop onto the sled before him with his guidance. And just like she expected, wanted, and yet feared, the moment he released her hand he scooted closer, his arms on either side of her as he reached for the steering rope. She quickly handed it to him, warmth flooding her from head to toe at his close proximity and the gentle way his fingers brushed hers – regardless of the fact both their hands were covered in gloves.

Ichigo had to clear his throat before he spoke, his arms already against Orihime as he reached around her. Part of their problem before had been the shifting of their weight from how they were positioned. There was only one real way to fix that, much to his chagrin (even if he was also silently excited about the prospect). "You might want to scoot back," he murmured, startling himself with how close his mouth was to her ear all of a sudden.

A shock went through her at his words; his breath, once more, warm on her neck. Since when was he so comfortable getting so close to her? Not that she minded, but it was now twice in one day that she'd felt his breath on her neck, that he'd been so close they could bump heads if she turned too quickly. Rather than risk her voice cracking, she instead nodded, scooting herself back until she was just shy of touching him. Regardless, his warmth radiated against her back and around her, enveloping her in his sense of strength and security. To her utter surprise, he didn't let her stay there. A strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush against him, his legs surrounding hers as his chest pressed warmly against her back. As the realization of their position hit her, she gasped quietly, her breath stilling in her throat as she stared blankly at the snow before them. All thought except that of Ichigo holding her in his arms left her, and she suddenly imagined the feeling of his nose brushing against her neck, his chin resting pleasantly against her shoulder, as he _hugged_ her. The daydream was so real she could feel it…

"Like this," he whispered, his voice gruff at her ear and startling her back into reality. He tensed as he debated not releasing her, leaving one arm around her while "steering" with the other. It was a tempting idea, as irrational as it was. He just couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of her in his arms, her body softly pressed to his. Her hands had fallen to his arm that was wrapped around her, not pushing him away, but gently gripping him as though to hold herself in place, or perhaps keep him in place? "Is this okay?" he finally thought to ask.

Still not trusting her voice, Orihime nodded, her grip on his arm squeezing gently in affirmation. Ichigo didn't give himself any more time to dwell on his motivations or his actions, and instead vowed, "I won't let you fall," before pushing them forward with his hand. This time they immediately rocketed down the hillside, Orihime squealing happily once more as Ichigo's arm tightened around her. It was strangely easy, holding her in his grip, while steering with his other hand. He could feel every bump of the sled as it traveled through both of their bodies, every one pressing Orihime tighter to him with the additional force of their momentum. Without realizing it, he was laughing, right along with his hollow's chuckles, Orihime's shrill giggles reverberating through his very soul.

They careened down the hill effortlessly and without conflict, Ichigo handling the few bumps they hit with ease before they came to a stop just shy of the tree line. Breathless, he quickly released Orihime the moment they were stopped; not wanting to, but also not wanting her to suspect his ulterior motives in holding her. The smile she had when he rose to his feet beside her made it all worth it.

"Let's do that again!" she cheered, bouncing happily up and down on her toes with excitement.

He didn't need to answer her with words. His matching smile said it all as they headed back up the hill side-by-side, not touching but still walking closer together than they normally would. It was a relief to feel so comfortable in each other's presence, to feel less shy about being alone together, while enjoying the fact that they were alone and away from the prying eyes of their friends. Something deep inside Orihime knew that Ichigo would not be behaving the way he was if the rest of their friends were around, and while that bothered her, it also excited her. He seemed freer with her, less guarded, but what did that mean? She no sooner pondered over the question than they were at the top, ready to go once more.

This time she settled into his arms immediately and without question, Ichigo still looping one arm around her waist as though it were a seatbelt. Without needing to be prompted, she scooted back against him, the brush of her hips on the inside of his legs causing a hot shock to ripple up Ichigo's spine. He quickly hid the shudder by asking, "Ready?!" from over her shoulder.

His hollow wasn't fooled, knowing full well just what Orihime's position was doing to Ichigo, and reveling in his discomfort. While he managed to keep his mouth shut for the most part, he still cackled mercilessly as Ichigo shoved them forward and down the hill once more. Although this time the sled did wobble, weaving a serpentine path down the hill, Ichigo kept true to his promise and did not let Orihime fall. Time after time, he kept his word, even when he wrapped both arms around her waist and once more let the auburn-haired healer "drive". She steered them all over the place, somehow bringing them to enough speed that Ichigo had to dig his heels into the snow to keep them from flying into the trees. He laughed easier than he had in a long time in Orihime's presence; her child-like thirst for adventure contagious as they climbed the hill again and again, just to plummet back down it. She whooped and hollered with abandon, bringing out the same reaction in Ichigo, except for the times he simply laughed like a mad man. It made the work of climbing the hill and increasing chill to their bones worth it. That is, until they had quite the embarrassing mishap.

Ichigo had lost count of how many times they'd made their mad descent down the hill, the ever-falling snow working on obliterating the paths they had previously taken. Given his lesser attire, his legs felt nearly frozen and his toes certainly _were_ , but his heart felt light and warm – _happy_ – until a particularly rough bump caused Orihime to bounce up and land on his lap – _painfully._ Ichigo did his best to hide his resulting grunt as her curvaceous backside came down on the most sensitive part of the male anatomy, but Orihime's gasp as his head dropped against her shoulder told him he failed – miserably.

"Oh! Kurosaki-kun?!" she cried, before they had even completely stopped.

 _Oh, Kami, please kill me now! That did_ not _just happen!_ Ichigo screamed in his mind, his cheeks darkly colored as he tried to keep his face from pinching in pain and his body from curling protectively inward – just as every man did when facing such a disaster. Judging by the way Orihime glanced at him from over her shoulder before rolling from the sled onto her hands and knees with concern etched into her features, he'd once again failed. Epically.

"Kurosaki-kun, are you all right?" she asked, her eyes searching him for any sign of injury. While she wasn't completely naïve, she wasn't sure exactly how anything could have happened that would hurt him…

Grinding his teeth together so tightly his jaw groaned, Ichigo forced his legs to function, drawing them up toward him (with some measure of relief) before standing up. It was difficult to stand up straight, but he forced his way through the stabbing ache in his groin. "I-I'm fine, Inoue," he choked out, unable to meet her eyes.

Her eyes narrowed as she stood up beside him. Once she took in his slightly stooped posture and the way his eyes were pinched, she knew he _was_ in pain, whether he'd admit it or not. "Let me heal you, at least," she pled, her hands already moving to her pins.

Ichigo went as white as the snow around them. So white, he could almost pass for his hollow as he reacted purely on instinct. The moment he realized what Orihime intended to do and _where_ her Soten Kisshun would end up being directed, he grabbed her hands, forcefully keeping them from touching her pins by restraining them with both of his own. "No!" he cried, his voice ringing loudly in the silence blanketing them. Ironically, the pain in his groin was completely forgotten – replaced by the stark terror flooding his veins at the situation they'd suddenly found themselves in. When her eyes widened at his reaction, her mouth falling open in surprise, he realized his mistake in reacting so harshly. _She has no idea…_ Clearing his throat, he squeezed her hands without realizing it, the fear leaving his gaze as he quietly amended, "Thank you, but it's fine. Really, there's no need."

While Ichigo's words faintly reached her ears, the only thing Orihime could truly focus on was the fact that he was holding her hands in his own. They were separated by gloves, the outer clothing covered in snow, but she felt incredibly warm from his touch regardless. Warmth spread from her hands up her arms and to her chest, pooling gently around her heart as he gently squeezed her hands with his much larger ones. _Oh my gosh! He's holding my hands! We were just sledding down the hill together, and now HE'S HOLDING MY HANDS! Kurosaki-kun is holding my hands! He hasn't done this since…_ She shook her head, not wanting to think about Hueco Mundo or the Arrancars, or what had happened to Ichigo in his determination to bring her back. Regardless, her mind continued to wander and ramble, the little blue men latching onto her thoughts and running with them as she suddenly racked her memory for a time when he'd _ever_ just touched someone or grasped their hand. The times she could recall had all been after a battle or when pulling someone to safety. She couldn't remember him ever doing it otherwise, even with his sisters. He just wasn't the touching type. And yet, he'd done so with her multiple times, many of which in just one day! _What does that mean?!_

When his eyes slowly lost their crazed look, the surprise on her face slowly melted into a gentle smile and she finally managed to squeeze his hands back in return. "Okay," she breathed, beaming a smile at him that eradicated the moment of awkwardness.

"Okay," he murmured in response, heaving a sigh of relief as the awkward moment disappeared behind them. He released her hands then, missing the disappointment that flashed in Orihime's eyes as he turned to grab the rope for the sled. Although outwardly he appeared calm and collected, once more his usual self, inside he was screaming. _I can't_ believe _that fucking happened!_

' _ **You can't be**_ **that** _ **surprised,'**_ his hollow chimed in. _**'She**_ **was** _ **practically sitting in your lap anyway. I'm surprised your junk didn't get crushed sooner.'**_

They had turned to walk back up the hill, the snow coming down even more forcefully. This time, Ichigo couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes in annoyance at his hollow, despite the truth behind his words. _'_ _ **Thanks for that. You could have at least warned me,'**_ he snarled.

' _ **Why would I do that? And miss the look on your face?!'**_ His hollow cackled, the sound echoing in his world within Ichigo's mind. _**'Priceless!'**_

Ichigo's ever-present scowl returned with a vengeance, but he refrained from answering and further provoking his hollow.

They'd reached the top and this time Orihime skipped happily to their starting position. When Ichigo approached her from the side, he realized just how good this afternoon was for him, mishap and all. He needed some time to unwind and act like a kid again, and who better to do that with than the woman at his side? As he came up beside her, he took in the snow blowing around them, the large white flakes cascading downward and twirling about in the breeze as they accumulated on the ground, already working on hiding the evidence of their activities. An absurd idea crossed his mind then, something he would no doubt do to his sisters, but not necessarily the girl he had _feelings_ for… Deciding to go with the flow, since it was serving him so well so far, he bent and scooped up a handful of snow in his hand, grinning mischievously at Orihime.

Orihime wasn't paying attention. She was too distracted watching the snow swirl around them, landing on her gloves and covering her coat like a layer of pristine, white dust. The sky was such a light gray, it almost seemed white – somehow both dark and light at the same time. Although her cheeks and hands tingled with cold, the rest of her was warm and toasty – no doubt some of which came from her interactions with Ichigo, and the fact that he held her each time they went down the hill. Regardless, she'd grown so comfortable in his presence, she no longer felt the need to watch and obsess over his every move – something she'd done before out of pure embarrassment while doing her best to hide her actions. So, when a hard lump of snow suddenly pelted her in the side, she jumped. "Wha?!" she screeched.

Ichigo's resounding laughter greeted her ears and she gaped. _Did he?! Did he really just?!_ She couldn't even complete the thought in her mind. He'd dropped the sled at his feet and by the way his gloves were coated with powder, it was clear he _had_. "Kurosaki-kun!" she chastised, immediately bending to get her own handful of snow.

Seeing his trick had worked, Ichigo quickly dodged an incoming ball of snow, aimed for his face. "You'll have to be quicker than that, Inoue!" he teased, scooping up a ball of snow and throwing it seemingly in the same motion.

She took another hit to the leg, her brows drawing together in a frown. He was clearly holding back, the hit from the snowball nowhere near as powerful as she would expect it to be. Regardless, she was grateful – she wasn't sure she _wanted_ to experience a snowball delivered with all his force behind it. _Ouch!_ Nonetheless, a smile crossed her lips as she quickly compacted the snow into another snowball. "I'll get you for that!"

Once she released the snowball, Ichigo turned his back, taking the hit high in his shoulder rather than his chest. Orihime's resounding squeal of triumph rang through his ears before he whipped around and flung another. This one went wild and to the side, completely missing her, but giving her the opportunity she needed to throw another one his way. This went on for some time, neither willing to give ground, but with nothing to hide behind, there was no way to escape. In the end, Orihime attempted escape by throwing herself onto the sled, the plastic sliding forward on the snow as though the hill were a giant slip-and-slide. Seeing her pending flight, Ichigo also threw himself forward, catching her in his arms as he managed to get her off her knees (and out of such a precarious position) and into his lap. She settled there comfortably and easily as they picked up speed, their descent fast and furious. The ride was even more heart-pounding due to their positioning – Orihime because Ichigo had her fully enveloped in the safety of his arms, and Ichigo because he _had_ Orihime in his arms in the first place, his legs completely under her rather than surrounding her.

They slowed and immediately collapsed onto their sides in a fit of laughter, the sled continuing on without them. Ichigo released Orihime the moment they stopped moving, but she remained close by him nonetheless, her excited giggling like music to his ears. Their fit of laughter didn't stop until they sat up, breathless and rosy-cheeked, their mouths actually sore from smiling too much.

"I win!" Orihime suddenly proclaimed, just before smashing a hardened mound of snow on top of Ichigo's head. It immediately broke into pieces of powder, dusting his hat and face with white, some of which slipped underneath his coat and his shirt, bringing fresh goosebumps to his skin as he yelped with surprise.

If it had been _anyone_ else, Ichigo would have retaliated, retaliated with much greater fervor and force. In fact, he wanted to. He wanted to grab Orihime and pin her in the snow beneath him before claiming her lips with his own. It would be easy. All he needed to do was roll over, and she'd be pinned… _Ugh,_ he groaned inwardly, the image all too real to dismiss from his mind. _I can't…_ He shook his head to clear his thoughts, tossing the remains of the freshly crumbled snowball to the ground before running a cold and damp glove down his face to shock him back into reality. It was then that he noticed Orihime shivering.

It was cold. There was no mistaking it now, no hiding the fact through the exertion of sledding or an impromptu snowball fight. The sun was heading closer to the horizon, hidden behind blankets of clouds, and with its descent, the temperature fell with it. The crowds of students freed from school never came – they were smart enough not to come out in such weather, now that the skies had well and truly opened up, dumping snow in liberal buckets of white powder that was so thick they could scarcely see fifty feet in front of them. _When did this happen,_ Ichigo idly wondered, eying the falling snow with new-found concern. His situational awareness was usually superb…

Now that they were no longer running amok, the chill that had begun to take root in Orihime's bones finally found its grasp. The exertion of dodging Ichigo's snowballs, as well as delivering her own, had warmed her momentarily; but it wasn't enough to keep the cold at bay and she ran her hands up and down her arms in an attempt to stave off the cold just a little bit longer. Without a moment's hesitation, Ichigo pulled his scarf from around his neck and carefully looped it around hers. "Let's get you inside so you don't freeze, huh?" he murmured, his voice softer and gentler than usual as they slowly rose to their feet.

The deep timbre of his voice rippled down Orihime's spine, making her shiver for a much different reason. Ichigo, who bravely put his hand on her back to finally steer her forward, felt it but mistook it as a result of the cold. Orihime found herself glad for the extra coverage on her face, hiding the brilliant blush painting her cheeks at his gentle (and casual) touch.

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 _A/N: Ugh, I'm sorry to have to break it here, but what I had intended for this chapter just wouldn't fit on one document on DeviantArt, so rather than get the two off with each other, this was the best place to split it. I promise we are nearing what y'all are waiting for! As always, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo._


	11. Chapter 11

_Eep! As promised, the next installment out in the **same day! What?!**_ _And the next chapter is already almost_ _done (it's the one I keep talking about rather than having these keep getting extended on me), haha! I want to thank all of you who've followed, favorited, and reviewed this story! It means so much to me to have so many people still interested and your comments truly are inspirational and bring such happiness! I hope I continue to keep you happy with this story!_

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It took them longer than Ichigo would have liked to return to Orihime's, the near whiteout conditions making their progress slow. To compensate for his lack of a scarf, Ichigo flipped the collar of his coat up, burying his face as low into it as he could, but he didn't mind. Somehow seeing Orihime wrapped up in his scarf, even with it mixed with her own, made him warm enough inside that he easily tolerated the biting chill surrounding them. Although their return trek was spent in relative silence, he was relieved that it wasn't uncomfortable. In fact, it felt natural and easy to be walking at her side, his hand occasionally bracing against her back when they neared a patch of ice or stepped down off the sidewalk. Each time he touched her, his heart jumped into his throat and his pulse raced. He would have been surprised to know that Orihime's did the same, her breath catching in her throat each and every time she felt his touch at her back, gently guiding her through safely.

By the time they mounted Orihime's steps, Ichigo was more than impressed that the healer had managed to make the journey home unscathed. Of course, he'd been there to steady her, but it hadn't really been necessary. That is, until she slipped on the ice that had accumulated at the top of her steps.

"Inoue!" he shouted in surprise, feeling her slip against his hand. She squealed just as he spun, pulling her flush against him and falling into the railing at his back with a grunt. The entire stairwell shuddered from the force of his collision with the steel railing, and he was sure his back would be bruised in the morning, but when he looked down at the woman clutched protectively against his chest, he was not at all surprised to find that he didn't care. Her eyes were wide with surprise, her lips parted in a silent gasp, and her hands were gripping his coat as though clinging to it for dear life. It was not unlike their first slip on her stairs, only this time she was well and thoroughly pressed against him, her body melding perfectly against his, despite their heavy attire. The realization sent a rush of heat through him that he could only pray didn't reach his face. It only worsened when he lifted her gently, bringing her feet back under her before settling her back down, but not loosening his grip. The motion, in effect, rubbed her against him, creating a friction between them that made Ichigo question his sanity.

The violet-gray depths of her eyes entranced him, and Ichigo found that he couldn't move if he wanted to. He wasn't sure if she was just as surprised as he was, or if she was in the same position, since Orihime didn't move either. They were locked in their silent embrace, thoughts roiling behind turbulent eyes, hearts pounding against ribcages that suddenly felt too small, and arms unwilling to let go of the person they so strongly held onto. The sled, which had been tumbling loudly down the stairs, came to a sudden stop as it flopped into the snow with a quiet _whompf_ , but neither of them noticed.

"A-are you all right?" Ichigo rasped, vaguely aware that they were saying those words to each other a lot. His head dipped lower, bringing their gazes closer together as he spoke.

Orihime had indeed gasped when Ichigo grabbed her, pulling her forcefully against him in his effort to keep her from falling down the stairs. She'd been surprised by the sudden movement, but more than that, she was surprised by how easily she fit against him as though she belonged there – a realization that only intensified when he lifted her, so she could reclaim her footing. Unbidden, her eyes immediately fell to his mouth, his lips pressed into his usual frown as he gazed down at her with concern reflecting back from the molten chocolate depths of his eyes. She completely forgot about how cold she'd been, a warm tightness taking root deep in her gut that she could no longer ignore. _How many times am I going to end up in his arms today?!_ It wasn't until Ichigo gently squeezed her, repeating her name softly, that she realized she still hadn't answered him. "Sorry! I-I'm fine!" she hurried, gently pushing herself back from his chest. If she remained there any longer, she ran the risk of doing or saying something she might regret. "Thank you for catching me!"

Disappointed by her sudden parting, Ichigo averted his eyes as he shoved himself off the railing. The quiet that descended upon them _was_ awkward, as Orihime worried her hands in front of her and Ichigo tried to quell the rising urge to pull her back into his arms. _I'll always catch you,_ was what he wanted to say, but instead he ground out, "Of course." In his rush to avoid eye contact, his eyes landed on the sled buried in the snow at the foot of her stairs. "Shit," he grumbled. "I'll be right back." Without another word, he headed back down the stairs to retrieve the surprisingly unharmed sled.

For a moment, Orihime's heart plummeted clear into her toes when she watched Ichigo turn away from her. It wasn't until he bent to pick up the sled, dusting it off gently before tucking it under his arm, that she realized she was staring and quickly turned to unlock the door. Her hands trembled, not just from cold but from nervousness, as she fumbled with the lock before stumbling inside like the door opening took her completely by surprise.

After nearly tripping over her own feet into her apartment, Orihime giggled nervously, stomping her feet to hide her discomfort as she knocked off the excess snow. Ichigo slipped in a moment later, after leaning the sled against the railing outside and adjacent to the apartment, likewise stomping his feet to clear them before taking off his shoes. His socks were soaked, his feet frozen lumps attached to his body, and the rest of his clothes were considerably damp, but he wouldn't admit it – nor would he change it for the world. When Orihime took her coat off before her hat and scarves, he found it difficult to swallow, her hips rolling back and forth as she wiggled out of her coat drawing his gaze. His scarf was the last article she removed, running a hand lovingly over the well-worn fabric before carefully handing it back. "Thank you, Kurosaki-kun," she whispered, her eyes only flicking to his briefly as her face darkened.

A gentle smile curled up the corner of his lips as Ichigo took his offered scarf back. This time when their hands brushed, their skin was bare, and Orihime's eyes darted back to his. Neither pulled away, nor looked away, until Orihime saw a drop of melted snow drip from Ichigo's hair to wet his shoulder. "Oh, right!" she exclaimed, pulling her hand back as she spun around and headed for the kitchen. "Hot chocolate!"

Rather than dwell on the previous couple moments, Ichigo cleared his throat and peeled off his damp coat. "How about I start a fire?" he called, already moving into the living room as he heard Orihime busy herself in the kitchen.

"Sure!" she chimed from the other room. Grateful for the distraction, Ichigo set to work bringing life to the pile of half-burned logs in her fireplace.

Once she'd set the water on the stove to warm, Orihime realized just how wet her own clothes were and ran to her room, shutting the door quietly out of a sense of embarrassment that didn't make sense. She'd already changed once with Ichigo in her apartment, why would it feel so different now? Warmth spread through her entire being as she realized why, the incident on the stairwell fresh in her mind, and she quickly set to work changing into dry clothes just in order to distract herself.

Moments later, Orihime returned with two steaming cups of hot chocolate. For once there was no food involved – no wasabi, no red bean paste, no strange concoctions consisting of cucumbers and hot sauce or tuna and jelly. At the sight of Ichigo's strong back before her, his form merely a silhouette thanks to the brightness of the snow coming through the window he was looking out of, she paused. The fire was alive and well, the flames already warming the chilly room, but even so, she could see the way Ichigo's hair was dripping, and the wetness to the back of his shirt and pants. _How is he not freezing?!_ "Kurosaki-kun, you're soaking wet!" she stated as though chastising him.

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair as he turned, completely unaware of how his actions affected Orihime. She'd envisioned that motion often enough, just under different circumstances… She was so distracted with her own thoughts that she missed the way he practically stumbled, her change of clothes surprising him, even if it was just comfortable black leggings and a long pink shirt that happened to sit off her shoulders. "It's fine," he argued, reaching forward to take his mug of hot chocolate from her. He missed the way her hand shook, clenching the mug tightly in order to hide it.

Scarcely waiting for his answer, Orihime set her mug down and ran to the bathroom. "No, I can't have you getting sick!" she exclaimed before gasping at her appearance in the mirror. _Oh, no!_ The bun at the back of her neck had been exposed to the snow and so it was dripping, strands of hair loose and wetly plastered to her cheeks and neck. Regardless, her concern for Ichigo outweighed her concern for her appearance, and so she grabbed two towels and her brush before returning to the living room. "Here," she persisted, handing him one of the towels. "I can look t-to see if I… have any clothes that might fit you," she stuttered, her cheeks growing pink at the thought of him changing in her house.

"You don't have to," he started, before her eyes shot up to his – a pleading look there he rarely saw but was unable to say no to.

"Please, Kurosaki-kun," she breathed, surprising herself with her boldness. _Let me take care of you!_

Swallowing, Ichigo finally nodded, taking the offered towel and left standing dumbstruck with the towel in one hand and his hot chocolate in another as Orihime once again disappeared into her bedroom. He could clearly hear her rummaging around in her room, a few muttered curses scarcely meeting his ears before she returned with an armful of clothes in her grasp.

"I still have these," she muttered, her cheeks darkening as she lowered her eyes and extended the bundle in her arms.

"Are these?" Ichigo couldn't even finish his sentence, noticing the way Orihime's head drooped, even as he set his hot chocolate down to take the offered clothes. "Inoue, thank you."

Her smile was soft and sad when she finally met his gaze again. "I'm just glad they can go to good use," she shyly admitted. "If you change, I can throw our clothes in the dryer."

His brow furrowing, Ichigo nodded and stepped past the now solemn healer. Even his quiet, "Thank you," appeared lost on deaf ears.

By the time he returned from the bathroom, wearing an old pair of Sora's sweatpants that were a little short and a t-shirt that was a little tight across the chest and arms, Orihime appeared lost in thought on one end of the couch, her feet carefully tucked up under her as she stared at the flames with her hot chocolate cradled between her hands. She startled at his approach, but the surprise was quickly replaced with a smile as she all but leapt to her feet. The smile quickly left when she saw how ill-fitting the clothes were. "Oh!" she gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. While the shirt was miraculously long enough to cover his skin, the tightness left very little to the imagination. "I'm sorry! I guess I didn't account for Sora being smaller than you!"

Chuckling, Ichigo attempted to shrug off her concern, a glimmer of pride lighting in his chest at the way her eyes lingered. "Ah, thanks anyway, Inoue. It's better than sitting here wet."

An image flashed behind Orihime's eyes, unbidden. Ichigo sat on her couch, wrapped in a blanket that was loosely draped over his shoulders, exposing a bare chest. He wore nothing but the blanket… Her eyes finally met his as she giggled, shaking her head side to side as her hands moved from her mouth to her now flaming cheeks. That was always an option… Not that he'd take it. "Right!" she blurted, snagging his surprisingly cold and wet clothes from his hands to add to her own in the dryer.

Not for the first time, Ichigo frowned as his gaze followed the healer that could be such a mystery. Although he knew it was dangerous to want to know what went on within that very interesting and often times _crazy_ mind of hers, he found himself wondering, his mind running as he took a seat on one end of the couch.

' _ **Hmmm… I'm thinking she wants you,'**_ his hollow immediately quipped.

' _ **Oh, will you shut up?! That's not what she's thinking!'**_

' _ **How would you know that?!'**_ When Ichigo didn't answer, his hollow continued. _**'Well? What are you gonna do, King?'**_ For once, Ichigo didn't _have_ an answer, even as Orihime returned to sit on the end of the couch she previously occupied, the sounds of the dryer running distinguishable in the otherwise quiet apartment.

As he watched, she squeezed her messy bun (something he wished she'd do with her hair more often) before draping the towel over her shoulders and working at pulling out her hair tie. She arched her back without realizing it, closing her eyes as she worked by feel to unwind her hair from its restraint. Seeing her like this, doing something so _normal_ , did something to him that was unexpected. Sure, it wasn't the sexiest thing, except perhaps the arching of her back, but it was so casual – an indication she was comfortable. They were growing closer, there was no doubt about that, and the fact that she was clearly _comfortable_ around him, when she'd been so awkward and nervous (not that he couldn't say the same thing about himself), for so long, caused such a strong wave of relief to wash through him that he physically sunk into the back of the couch with a quiet sigh.

Hearing Ichigo sigh, Orihime opened her eyes and turned a curious gaze his way. Thankfully, Ichigo saw her movement soon enough to quickly avert his gaze, instead leaning forward to set his mug of hot chocolate down in order to run the towel through his hair – something he'd neglected to do when changing.

Warmth immediately flooded Orihime's cheeks when she saw Ichigo towel-dry his hair. It was such an easy task, some might consider it monotonous, but seeing him so relaxed and easy in her presence made her smile. It was all too easy to imagine him before her, fresh from a shower with just a towel wrapped around his waist. His chest and shoulders would glisten with drops of water, the muscles that so often protected others rippling with his movements. Wet orange hair would lay flat for the first time she'd seen until he ran a towel through it, fluffing the hair immediately before he draped the towel easily across his shoulders. His eyes would be dark and hungry when they looked at her, pulling the towel from his shoulders to loop it around her waist and pull her closer…

When he was done, Ichigo draped the towel easily over his shoulders, and Orihime realized just _where_ her thoughts had wandered to. Surprised, she gasped, quickly resuming the task of setting some semblance of normalcy back to her hair and averting her eyes to the flames. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ichigo lean forward to pick up his mug, taking a cautious sip of the still steaming liquid.

Silence settled over them as each were lost in their own thoughts that followed very similar paths, Orihime running her brush through her auburn locks until they were tamed once more. When she set her brush down and picked up her steaming mug of hot chocolate, she sighed, leaning back comfortably against the couch. Like Ichigo, she was more than aware of their increased closeness. It had been happening gradually since he brought her back from Hueco Mundo, something that both excited her and scared her, but the change seemed to be happening much faster now that she'd asked him to the dance. Ichigo had always been protective, it was in his nature, but he seemed even more so. He was more liberal with his praise and his touch, a fact that lit her heart on fire just thinking about it. She only hoped this change would continue, but at the same time she was afraid. She had thought she could be content just being his friend, that just being a part of his life would be enough, but she wasn't so sure anymore. Every time he touched her, her heart soared, and butterflies took wild flight in her stomach. She couldn't stop her rampant day-dreaming – dreams that were no longer just friendly little imaginings. The thought of him being with anyone else made her want to cry, even if he'd never shown any interest despite all the girls that drooled over him at school. In fact, she wasn't so sure he had any clue they even existed…

After several moments of silence passed, the fire crackled, a log breaking and releasing a burst of embers that rose up and danced like tiny little fireflies. It was then that Orihime broke the silence. "Thank you, Kurosaki-kun," she breathed, the words escaping her without her knowledge.

He turned to her sharply, his gaze narrowing as he searched her face. "For what?"

She smiled softly, hiding her nervousness with a sip from her mug. "For today. I had a lot of fun."

Thinking back on it, it was hard to imagine the day had started just like any other day, but quickly became anything but. They'd walked to school together (their new tradition), taken a horrendously long math test, gotten coffee, revealed the fact they were going to the dance together to their friends, fought an incredible number of hollows, skipped class, and went sledding. When had they ever spent so much time together, just enjoying the company? Just thinking about it made the corners of Ichigo's lips pull up into an easy smile – a smile he was just beginning to realize he saved for Orihime. "Me too."

Their eyes remained locked, Orihime's stormy gray eyes dancing with joy and Ichigo's mocha depths swirls of ease and happiness. Not for the first time, tension rose in the air around them, but this time it was not unwelcome. Ichigo found the urge to pull her to him nearly too strong to ignore, while Orihime resisted the urge to curl into a ball at his side, resting her head on his arm in pure contented bliss. They were both saved from their thoughts by matching vibrations from their cell phones.

It was from Rukia, in their group message. _"Where the hell did you guys go?! Are you all right?! Haven't you seen the weather outside?!"_

Ichigo could all but hear Rukia's sharp, biting tone as she berated them. It was something he was used to, but he'd rarely heard or seen it used with Orihime, and it immediately raised his defenses. _"We're fine. And of course, we've seen the weather outside,"_ he snapped back, texting quickly in his agitation but yet still dissatisfied because she couldn't see or hear his irritation.

" _Where are you?"_ she tried again. _"Captain Hitsugaya and Rangiku-san are at Urahara's and haven't seen either of you."_

"Oh! That's why they aren't here!" Orihime suddenly exclaimed, causing Ichigo to jump in his surprise. "I'd forgotten all about them!" she admitted with a nervous giggle. The rosiness in her cheeks was unmistakable. _"Kurosaki-kun and I went sledding! Now we're warming up at my apartment,"_ she quickly replied.

Ichigo's face flushed as he saw what Orihime said. The idea of "warming up" suddenly held a completely different meaning and he had to bite his tongue to stop the flood of inappropriate thoughts. It was as though Rukia had a sixth sense and texted him privately.

" _You better not be violating Orihime!"_

Despite their size difference, Ichigo flinched at Rukia's words. _Sometimes I really do hate you, Rukia,_ he grumbled inwardly, even if he did love her like one of his sisters. _"Of course not! What the hell is wrong with you?!"_

" _The fact that you responded like that only proves my point."_

He could all but hear the smugness in her words, see the knowing smile she would no doubt be giving him if she were there. Hell, she probably had it anyway. _"Fuck off."_ As always, when he could think of nothing better to say, he resorted to his usual crass brush offs.

Completely unaware that Orihime was eying him curiously, seeing his phone going off but not her own, Orihime butted in through the group message. _"Leave Kurosaki-kun alone, Rukia-chan!"_

The moment he saw the message, Ichigo gasped. "Inoue," he breathed, a softness in his voice he would normally hide.

She beamed a smile at him, her eyes dancing and inviting in the growing darkness of her apartment. There was a long pause on the other end, which only made Ichigo more nervous. He was more than a little surprised when Orihime jumped beside him, her phone vibrating in her lap while his remained silent. "Oh!" she exclaimed, checking the message. Her cheeks darkened when her eyes darted up to Ichigo, who was looking at her with a quirked eyebrow in confusion. "I just got a message from Rangiku-chan that we're supposed to go dress shopping."

Ichigo sighed, his head drooping slightly in defeat, as Orihime peered at her screen. He wanted to groan, wanted to pull his hand down his face in annoyance, wanted to _shake_ Rukia and Rangiku – the meddling brats – but he did none of those things. _It's now or never, right?!_ He sucked in a deep breath, trying to still his suddenly quaking nerves – nerves he hadn't felt even when battling Byakuya or Ulquiorra – and scooted closer, so it was more comfortable to lean closer to her ear. "You're not going shopping tonight, are you?" he murmured, close enough to make a shiver run down her spine.

"Oh!" She sucked in a surprised breath at his sudden close proximity and the weight of his words. Warmth quickly spread throughout her chest as she turned to look at him. "I-I-I don't know!" she stammered. "Would that be a problem?"

The substitute soul reaper smiled to hide his nerves and scratched the back of his neck. After a moment he finally shrugged, averting his eyes. "I mean, look at the weather outside. You really think anyone should be going anywhere right now?"

While he _was_ speaking the truth, _the way_ he spoke it made the warmth in Orihime's heart spread to her stomach and her heart start racing, spreading fire throughout her veins. Could this possibly mean what she hoped it meant?! He sure seemed to be saying some _interesting_ things of late… "No, I suppose not," she whispered in reply, a soft smile gracing her lips. _Come on, Orihime! You can do this!_ "It's best to stay inside right now." His smile grew, and something akin to a predatory glint flashed in his eyes, causing the fire to sink into her core. "Besides, this is the first I've heard of it and I already have company."

Unable to continue looking into Ichigo's eyes, she texted a reply before he could say anything more, scarcely suppressing a smile by biting her cheek. _"Sorry, but I can't go shopping tonight. Kurosaki-kun and I already have plans."_

Across town, at Urahara's shop, Rangiku and Rukia, who were quietly trying to organize dress shopping, while also trying to stir up some commotion to get the two stubborn idiots together, gasped, mouths falling open in shock. It was Tatsuki, who was also included the message, who spoke her disbelief. _"Bullshit,"_ she cursed, but smiled nonetheless.

Smiling wickedly at each other, Rangiku and Rukia quickly lowered their gazes to the phone in Rangiku's hand before she typed back, _"We weren't talking about tonight, Orihime-chan. This weather is crazy! I meant tomorrow. But it's good to see you're spending **quality** time with Ichigo!"_

Back at Orihime's, Ichigo was dumbfounded, surprised not only by his own boldness, but by Orihime's receptiveness, her response to it. He wasn't sure what to do with Rukia's comments or Orihime's reply to them, but when she looked up from her phone with a surprised, "Oh!" he felt his stomach tighten and had to forcefully grip the back of the couch to keep himself from putting his arm around her. "They meant tomorrow!" she admitted with a nervous giggle, mortified by the possibility that he might see what _else_ Rangiku had said. "Oops!"

Not a moment later, Ichigo's phone went off, pulling his concentration away from the healer at his side. It was from Renji. _"So apparently we're going shopping with the girls tomorrow. Don't blame me."_

" _What?!"_ was Ichigo's fast reply.

" _Hey, I said don't blame me. Rukia, the lieutenant, and Ishida are organizing the whole thing."_ There was a slight pause before, _"And what are you doing at Inoue's?"_

Ichigo didn't have a chance to respond as beside him, Orihime proclaimed, "There!" A smug smile was plastered across her face as she tossed her phone onto the table triumphantly, as though putting some distance between the device and herself meant she had somehow won something. "Would you like to watch a movie?"

Suddenly feeling immensely grateful for the excuse not to answer Renji, Ichigo nodded, likewise tossing his phone onto the table. "What do you have in mind?"

* * *

Nearly three hours later, Ichigo was awoken by the sound of his phone vibrating against the table – repeatedly. Groggy, he slowly opened his eyes, startled by the familiar (but not as familiar as his own home) surroundings. When he moved to run a hand down his face, the tightness of the shirt he wore drew his gaze downward, and he gasped in surprise.

Orihime was sound asleep, leaning against him with her hair draping over her shoulder. One hand was casually flopped onto his leg – clearly not done so intentionally, and it was then that he realized _his_ arm was draped around her, all but holding her to his side. _What the fuck?!_ He screamed inwardly, his entire body going shock-still out of surprise and fear of waking the sleeping healer. Granted, he'd wanted to hold her so casually all day, had in fact used the sled as an excuse, but the fact that he'd done so in his sleep unsettled him. His brow furrowed as he tried to remember what happened after they decided to watch a movie. Just how did they end up like this and how long had they lasted before falling asleep?

As his mind continued to race, his phone continued to vibrate, and Ichigo glared at the device as though he could cause it to burst into flames with his irritation. When he saw the screen flashing with his father's picture, he groaned, carefully removing his offending limb from around Orihime and leaning forward as gingerly as possible to answer the phone. Thankfully it went to voicemail just as he picked it up.

" _What do you want, Old Man?"_ he quickly texted his father, deciding he'd rather not wake up Orihime by calling him back.

" _Ichigo! Son! It's late! Where are you?"_ Even in text messaging, Isshin Kurosaki was nothing but enthusiastic.

" _I'm at a friend's. Lost track of time. Sorry."_

There was a pause on the other end as Orihime stirred against his shoulder, drawing his gaze from the glowing screen of his phone to the woman beside him. She groaned softly, moving her head against his shoulder as though trying to get more comfortable. Without thinking, he turned slightly, giving her a more comfortable place to rest her head against his chest, and brushed her hair back from her face, a gentle smile touching his lips. _Inoue…_

" _I'm glad you're safe. The storm seems to have passed. Do you need me to pick you up?"_

For the first time since awakening, Ichigo's eyes turned to the window. The sky was black – darkness had settled on the town. The only light in the apartment came from the glowing screen of the TV and faint, dying embers of the fire. When he finally looked at the clock on his phone, he was startled to realize why. It was already almost ten o'clock. At least it was obvious the snow had slowed considerably, although some rebellious flakes still fell. It would be a cold walk home, but regardless, he didn't want his father to know he'd been at a girl's house. He'd _never_ hear the end of it. _"No, thanks. I can walk home."_

" _That's my son! I'll see you in a little while. I've got leftovers in the fridge."_

Ichigo frowned at his phone, the fact that he had to leave not at all a pleasant one. The fact that he had to wake up the beautifully sleeping Orihime, even less so.

For a moment, just a moment, Ichigo thought about leaving without waking her; simply covering her up with a blanket and skipping out, but that felt wrong, and he knew she wouldn't appreciate it. Instead, he suppressed the urge to kiss her forehead and gently shook her shoulder. "Inoue," he breathed. When she simply groaned and buried her face further against his chest, he shook harder. "Inoue!"

Startled, Orihime sat bolt upright, her hair falling in her face as she pushed herself up with a hand on Ichigo's chest. Thinking she was still dreaming, she blinked several times, her face scrunching in disbelief, until she realized the face before her was there, and not a fragment from her dream. "Kurosaki-kun?!" she shrieked, quickly pulling her hands back as though burned. _I was_ touching _him?! What was I thinking?!_

Scarcely suppressing a chuckle at the way she woke, Ichigo nonetheless found he missed her touch. "Sorry to wake you. We must have fallen asleep." He had to admit to it too – anything to make the embarrassed terror on her face disappear.

Brushing her hair back from her face, Orihime quickly took in their surroundings and the warm darkness that had taken over the apartment. "What time is it?" she asked, covering a yawn with her hand.

Still loathe to leave, Ichigo admitted it was nearly ten. "I don't think we made it far in the movie," he shrugged.

Giggling, Orihime found the lightness in Ichigo's eyes encouraging. At least he wasn't mad that she fell asleep on him. _Then again, he said he fell asleep too… Oh my gosh! We slept together on the couch?!_ The little blue men tried to twist that thought into more than it was, but she brushed them away in order to answer Ichigo's quiet admission. "I don't think we did either."

A soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips, Ichigo's gut tightened. This felt like the end of a date, a day-long date. And what happened at the end of dates that went well? What he certainly wanted to happen but knew he couldn't, knew he _shouldn't._ His hollow growled at him in disgust, but kept his mouth shut as Ichigo finally scooted to the edge of the couch. "My old man just called and woke me up." He indicated the window and the greatly improved weather outside. "Storm's passed and," he cleared his throat, "I've got to go."

Even though she knew it was coming, Orihime's heart sunk. "Oh," she breathed, unable to stop the wave of sadness that crossed her face. Ichigo missed it, as he was rising to his feet. She quickly followed suit, touching his arm to get his attention. "Wait right here and I'll get your clothes!" Not waiting for an answer, she turned on her toes and rushed to retrieve their dried clothes, even if hurrying meant he would be leaving her that much sooner…

A few minutes later, Ichigo stood before the front door, his school uniform on and dry once more, slipping on his coat, and suppressing a grimace as he slid his feet into his cold, sopping shoes. Orihime stood before him, nervously shifting her weight from side to side as he pulled his hat down over his ears. Even if the snow had nearly stopped falling, it was still awfully cold out. When he was done fidgeting with his hat and about to bend to pick up his book bag, Orihime threw caution to the wind and flung herself into his arms. Caught completely by surprise, Ichigo stumbled back against the door, catching her up in his arms nonetheless. Startled relief rippled through him like a shockwave as Orihime's arms wound beneath his shoulders, hugging him tightly. He immediately responded in kind, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to him. His cheek rested against the top of her head as he sighed, allowing his eyes to drift closed. Orihime buried her face against his chest, her own eyes squeezed shut. Not only was her heart flying, elated that Ichigo immediately returned her embrace, but her face was also on fire, embarrassed by her impulsive actions.

Taking a deep breath to bolster his courage, Ichigo allowed himself to say what he truly wanted – the pressure somehow lessened because he wasn't looking directly at Orihime, regardless of the fact that she was in his arms. "Thank you," he murmured so quietly she almost missed it.

With her ear against his chest, Ichigo's voice rumbled through Orihime's entire being. Goosebumps erupted across her skin at his quiet words, his breath warm as it caressed her hair. "Thank you," she muttered right back, her words all but smothered by his chest as she squeezed him tighter.

Ichigo's hand moved up her back, her hair tickling its surface before he realized what he was doing and stilled. It would only take the slightest shifting in position to change their hug into something more, but despite the fact that Orihime initiated their embrace, he refrained. Orihime was a hugger, he'd known that all along. It didn't mean she saw him any differently than she saw any of the others, although Rukia's words were starting to wear down his thoughts to the contrary.

While she took the initiative, Orihime could feel Ichigo's heart pounding just as fiercely as her own, and she felt that there was something deeper about this embrace, stirrings beneath the surface of the one in the other's arms; but it was still too uncertain, too murky and unclear to risk harming the strong bond they'd already forged. She'd only hugged him this fiercely once before, when he'd finally rescued her from the hell that had been Hueco Mundo, before returning home. They'd flung themselves into each other's arms then, the desperate look in his eye had told her he needed to feel her just as much as she'd needed to feel him – to confirm the other was real and that their battle was finally over. If there was ever a time for a kiss, it was then, but it hadn't happened. Ichigo had held her, tighter than she could ever imagine, even as his entire body shook with the effort of remaining on his feet; one arm around her back and the other at the back of her head, but she'd done the same – gripping him so tightly he hadn't been able to take a deep breath and burying her face in his chest to hide her tears of agony, fear, and relief.

Little did she know Ichigo's thoughts were on the same moment in time, when he'd finally defeated those who had held Orihime captive. It had been a bittersweet moment, filled with relief that it was all finally over, fear over what had truly happened to Orihime, exhaustion, and a growing uncertainty about how he felt about the auburn-haired healer. He'd known even then his feelings weren't entirely plutonic, but had buried them deep within himself, certain they were doomed to be one-sided. That hadn't stopped him from pulling her into his arms like a man possessed, like she was an oasis in the desert that was Hueco Mundo.

' _ **King…'**_

Ichigo ignored his hollow and tried to ignore the growing warmth in the pit of his stomach as he felt Orihime's breath stutter through their shared contact. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't happy, but he was also afraid – afraid of what he'd do if this drug out much longer… A fact his hollow obviously picked up on. "Inoue?" he breathed, gently nudging his head against hers for the second time that day.

His breath so near her ear sent a shiver down Orihime's spine, forcing Ichigo to suppress a groan as she shivered against him. She carefully disentangled herself, loosening her grip without completely releasing him, as a brilliant smile spread across her blushing face. With her hair mussed, her eyes squeezed shut, and her cheeks dusted pink, Ichigo found his breath stolen. "Sorry!" she blurted, giggling nervously.

Reluctant to release her, Ichigo let his arms fall comfortably around her waist, his own lips curling up into a smile. "What are you sorry for?" When Orihime said nothing, instead her mouth falling open in slack-jawed surprise, he shrugged. It was then that she fully released him, gently using his chest to shove herself back so he could step away from the door, rising to his full height before her. Her shock and gaping mouth only increased when she realized how forcefully she must have shoved him back… "Good night, Inoue."

Gray depths met chocolate brown with uncertainty. It was dark in the apartment, so neither could truly pick up on the heat in the other's cheeks now that they weren't so close, but Orihime was still surprised by her actions, and by Ichigo's reaction to them. "G-good night, Kurosaki-kun."

Chuckling Ichigo successfully reached down to pick up his bag. "I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow."

Orihime was so surprised by his words, she forgot to respond as Ichigo continued chuckling and saw himself out. The sound of the door closing shook Orihime back to the present and a surprised squeal mixed with a groan escaped her. _How did I let him leave just like that?! What did he mean I'll see him tomorrow? I'm going dress shopping tomorrow! Why on Earth did I throw myself at him like that?! But he didn't seem to_ not _like it… Should I hug him next time I see him, then? No, that would be suspicious. Agh!_ Even as her thoughts ran a mile a minute, she raced to the window, just catching a glimpse of Ichigo as he rounded the front of her apartment, quickly making his way home.

As Ichigo hurried home, he drew an anxious hand down his face, his thoughts likewise running. "Why'd she do that?" he wondered out loud, his eyes on the snow-covered sidewalk without truly seeing it.

' _ **It felt nice, though. Didn't it?'**_

Not voicing his reply, Ichigo nodded an affirmation. Holding her felt akin to coming home, like it was a place he belonged _with_ her. It was a novel feeling, stirring feelings within him he wasn't sure he was ready for. Regardless, he'd liked it. A lot.

' _ **So why didn't you kiss her, then?!'**_

' _ **Damn it! I wanted to!'**_ he bellowed his frustration the only place he safely could, in his inner world to his hollow, who for once was strangely understanding.

' _ **You ever stop to think she might have wanted to, too?'**_

Ichigo scowled, his gaze so fierce anyone on the street would scuttle to the other side in order to avoid him, if anyone was foolish enough to be out so late on such a cold night. A brisk wind came up then, blowing what little snow was still falling and picking up the snow that had already reached the ground, piercing his face like tiny ice needles. "God damn it," he growled, pulling the collar of his coat up and wrapping his scarf further up around his face in an attempt to stave off the biting chill. At least he had thoughts of his parting embrace with Orihime to keep him from losing his mind… Or perhaps drive him mad as he made his way home.

* * *

 _A/N: I'm not entirely sure how I feel about how this ended... But I honestly needed to wrap it up to get to the next part. I hope you like it, regardless. At least I didn't totally troll you! ;) (I thought about it...hehehe)_

 _As always, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo._


	12. Chapter 12

_9/4/18_ _Update : I can't believe it's been 2 months since I published this! EEK! Just ran through and fixed some minor errors while I get ready to work on the next update. Super sorry for keeping y'all waiting!_

 _A/N: Finally, the part some of you have been dying to see (no, it's not the dance yet, lol). I know I've just done 3 rapid-fire updates, but they won't be that fast now, since I don't have as much written as I did for these parts. Hopefully it won't be weeks upon weeks, but you know - life._

 _I have to give a shout-out once again to my wonderful reviewers!_ _All of you who have favorited, followed, and reviewed this story make me so happy and it's such a great motivator to hear how excited you are for updates, and your thoughts. I hope I continue to live up to the praise. Thank you so much!_

* * *

Saturday found them at the mall, _shopping_. Somehow the guys had been roped into going with the girls, Uryu insisting that they reserve their tuxedoes while the girls looked for dresses. Ichigo found the whole thing obnoxiously boring and time-consuming. The girls disappeared the moment they arrived, Rangiku dragging Orihime off with an excited squeal that left his ears ringing. In her panic, Orihime had grabbed Tatsuki, pulling her along after them with much less enthusiasm, while Rukia appeared nearly equally as excited as the lieutenant. Uryu was rambling on about the importance of knowing what color of dresses the girls were wearing, despite the fact that they weren't supposed to _see_ the dresses, or at least so the Quincy claimed.

Completely at a loss, Renji looked at Ichigo for help, but he also didn't know. "Why?" Renji finally asked, hating the fact that the Quincy was obviously better versed about the whole situation than he was.

"We have to make sure the flowers match," Uryu answered, pushing his glasses up on his nose in irritation.

"Flowers?" Renji questioned in surprise. This time, Ichigo _did_ know what Uryu was talking about, but chose to let the Quincy handle it.

Unable to continue until the soul reaper at least understood _something_ , Uryu stopped. "Yes, the flowers, you idiot. We are supposed to buy a corsage for them. It's important it matches the dress of our date." His look of astonishment at Renji's ignorance matched the annoyed tone to his voice.

Ichigo couldn't help but swallow at the word 'date' but hid it with a statement no one could argue with. "But you do realize that they could be here _all day_ , right?!"

Finally, with a reason to gloat over the raven-haired Quincy, Renji laughed. "Oh, so there is something the Great Ishida didn't think of?!"

Uryu huffed, turning his back on the two soul reapers and continuing their trek to the tuxedo store. Having no idea where they were going, the rest were left with no choice but to hurry to keep up.

"How do you know all of this anyway?" Renji finally asked, unable to stand not knowing any longer as he looked at Uryu with a furrowed brow beneath his white bandana.

"He _would_ know about it, Mr. Sewing Club," Ichigo jibed, unable to help himself with Renji's perfect opening.

Uryu scoffed, pushing his glasses up pointedly with his middle finger. "Forgive me for actually having some _class,_ something you two would know nothing about."

Sensing an insult but not entirely sure _what_ , Ichigo and Renji looked at each other before shrugging. "Whatever," Renji waved him off. "I still don't understand why we had to come _today_. Like Kurosaki said, you know the girls are going to take forever."

This time when Uryu looked at the fiery red-head, he quirked an eyebrow with barely concealed disdain. He'd had time to come up with a response to Ichigo's taunt, even though it was Renji who furthered the dig. "You _do_ know it's best not to leave these details until the last minute, right? Even _you_ must understand that."

"Yeah, whatever," Renji grumbled, rolling his eyes.

They arrived at the tuxedo shop moments later, the four silently submitting themselves to the whims of the attendants, who lined them up like dolls before measuring them every which way. The women could scarcely contain their delight at having such specimens before them, something that made each and every one of them squirm uneasily. Chad was especially uncomfortable, the women not used to a man with his height, and therefore repeatedly measuring his shoulders and inseam just to be sure. To break the awkward silence, Ichigo finally ventured to ask the question that had been eating at him since he found out Renji was going with Rukia. "Hey Renji, how'd she ask you?" he blurted, turning to look at the red-haired Shinigami to his left.

Renji scoffed, earning him a glare from the woman trying to measure his waist. " _Ask_ me? She didn't ask me so much as _inform_ me that we'd be going to a dance."

Chuckling, Ichigo could picture Rukia doing just that, probably jabbing a finger in his gut while she did it. "And you agreed?" he teased.

Sensing where this was going, the mirth left Renji's eyes. "Of course I did. You know what it's like to tell that woman no."

Uryu chimed in, turning over his shoulder to add, "It didn't look like she twisted your arm too hard yesterday. Since when are you two so close, anyway?"

Although he said nothing, even Chad looked at him with curious eyes, wanting to hear his answer.

Renji's cheeks were darkening as he glared at the floor. "We've always been close," he grumbled, remembering the time they spent growing up and planning to become soul reapers. He'd felt awful when they disconnected, when Rukia became a part of the Kuchiki family and had to leave him behind. He'd worked his ass off just to be good enough to talk to her once again… "When she told me about the dance, I finally told her how I felt."

Unable to believe his ears, Ichigo gawked. "You what?!"

Throwing his hands up in mock defeat, Renji roared, "Come on, I'm not repeating that!"

* * *

Rangiku pulled Orihime along at her side with a grin on her face. She didn't entirely care that they were attending a dance for high school students and that she was technically _a lot_ older than her date. Human stores, clothing, and jewelry always interested her and now she finally had an _excuse_ to go shopping! The captain couldn't get mad at her for this!

As much as Orihime was looking forward to finding a dress, she was equally just as nervous about it. She had no idea how she should dress for a dance such as this, let alone how she should dress for _Ichigo_. She knew at one time he'd thought she was showing too much skin when she was dressed like the Arrancars, and his words saying as much had cut her to the core. _It's not like I even had a choice,_ she grumbled to herself, her cheeks darkening with shame at the memory regardless. They had all but thrown her in the outfit after ruining her other clothes, and when it clearly hadn't fit in the top, they'd simply ripped the stretched fabric out and tried to say it was stylish that way. She'd never felt more humiliated…

"Orihime?" Rukia asked, her violet eyes ever-perceptive as she looked up at the healer. "What's wrong?"

Her nerves finally getting the best of her, Orihime shook her head, burying her face in her hands. "I have no idea what to wear!" she wailed.

They'd arrived at their first destination and were standing in the middle of rack upon rack of formal gowns and dresses. Most of them were floor length, while others stopped at the knee. Many were strapless while some sported straps of some kind – whether thin ones that went over the shoulders, single-shoulder, or halter-top. All of them were beautiful, shimmering in the overhead fluorescent lights. Many were coated in colorful beads or lace and they all showed varying amounts of skin. Looking around them for a moment, Rukia turned her gaze back up to Orihime. "How can you say that?"

Orihime wished Rukia would remember Ichigo's words without having to repeat them, but it seemed the tiny Shinigami was blind to her silent plea. She was saved by Rangiku, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, as she dropped her arm across Orihime's shoulders. "That's what we're here for, dear! We're going to help you find _the_ dress to woo Ichigo once and for all!"

Mortified by her loud proclamation, Orihime covered Rangiku's mouth with her hand in a rare show of force. "Rangiku-chan!" she squeaked.

Smiling around Orihime's hand, Rangiku gently pulled down the restraining limb. "Why, that _is_ the plan, isn't it?" she teased, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Well… I, but, we," Orihime sputtered, her face going white.

"Come on you guys, knock it off!" Tatsuki finally came to Orihime's rescue. She was curious what Rukia and Orihime had been talking about, having noticed Orihime's silent plea that clearly went unanswered.

"Oh, we're just trying to get her to admit her real reason for asking Ichigo to the dance," Rukia explained, a smile spreading across her lips that made Tatsuki uneasy.

"Rukia-chan!" Orihime whined, her lips quivering.

"Come on, Orihime," Rangiku had already turned back to the racks of dresses. "I'm sure we'll find you something."

Orihime swallowed, watching with wide eyes as Rangiku pilfered through dress after dress. Rukia started to pick through a few on her own, while Tatsuki stood next to Orihime, motionless and in awe of the tall woman before her. "Arisawa," Rangiku paused, pulling out a particular black dress. "What do you think of this?"

Tatsuki scrunched her face, immediately shaking her head. "It's too dark for Orihime."

Giggling, Rangiku shook her head, her long strawberry-blonde locks spilling over her shoulders. "It's not for Orihime, silly. It's for you."

Tatsuki's mouth fell open in a silent _'O'_ of surprise as she looked at the dress with a more critical eye. While it was rare for her to wear such dark colors with her already dark hair, the dress called to her with red and navy flowers sporadically spaced throughout. The dress was long and would reach close to the floor with a slit up the side that would show off her strong legs – but were they too strong? Should she try to hide that? Shaking her head, she continued her perusal of the dress. It would obviously fit snugly, with a modest neckline that still went lower than she was used to. The thick shoulder strap only went over one shoulder, the neckline plunging to below her arm on the left side – the opposite side of the slit up the leg.

"Oh, Tatsuki-chan! You have to try that on!" Orihime cheered from beside her, bouncing up and down on her toes happily. "It's perfect!"

Hearing Orihime's proclamation, Rukia peered around a rack. "Nice!" she exclaimed. "Sado won't know what hit him."

Her face immediately flaming red, Tatsuki stuttered as she reached out for the dress. "I-it's n-not like that!" she spat.

Rukia smiled ruefully. "Uh huh, and Orihime _isn't_ in love with Ichigo."

"Rukia-chan!" Orihime squealed, feeling ready to faint with embarrassment as her cheeks tellingly flamed red.

"I don't know what you're so nervous about, Orihime," Rukia chided, stepping forward with a seafoam color dress that looked much too long for her. "Sometimes all you need is a gentle nudge in the right direction to get things moving." She winked as she pushed the dress toward Orihime.

"With you it's not a nudge, so much as a shove," Tatsuki argued, curiously peering at the dress in Orihime's hands.

Orihime was too distracted by the dress to hear what they were saying. It was simple and yet elegant with two tiny spaghetti straps that would loop over each shoulder. The inner straps crossed the back in an X while, while the rest of the back was virtually non-existent, the fabric opening up and crisscrossing over what would otherwise be exposed skin. The neckline went straight across, but by the length of the straps, would still be lower than what she normally wore. While the dress was satin, it was overlaid with a chenille fabric that still slid through her fingers with ease. It was long, and would nearly touch the floor, the waist tight until it loosely flowed out from the hips. It wasn't a color she usually wore, but maybe that was what she needed.

"He'll love it," Rukia whispered with a wink.

Before she could think otherwise, Orihime whispered, "You think so?" Her eyes finally came up to Rukia's, the uncertainty clear in their stormy depths while Rukia's violet eyes shone with confidence. "But what he said," she began.

Rukia cut her off with a slice of her hand, a smile toying with her lips. "I don't think you understand why he said that," she whispered back, conscientious of the other ears in their presence as she winked.

Orihime's mouth fell open in shock as her mind whirled with possible implications behind Rukia's words. If he _didn't_ actually think that, then why would he say it? If it wasn't because _he_ didn't want to see so much skin, could it possibly be because he didn't want _others_ to? Had she made him uncomfortable? She scarcely had time to process before Rukia turned her toward the dressing room with a not-so-gentle push. "Now go try that on!"

Tatsuki and Orihime found themselves in the dressing room while Rangiku and Rukia continued to peruse the dresses. It was surprising that the soul reapers would find them such perfect garments so quickly, but Orihime knew better than to question them, especially once she slid her dress on and it cascaded down her legs to brush the tops of her feet. She couldn't reach the zipper, but even so, she turned to look at her exposed back, pulling her hair over her shoulder. _Oh, my! If I dance in this with Ichigo, his hands will…_

"Orihime?" Tatsuki asked, her voice unusually soft and unsure.

"Yes?" she squeaked, startled from her thoughts of Ichigo's hands on her bare back with a physical jump. Her cheeks immediately warmed for thinking such things, even if a different kind of pleasant heat had also kindled within her.

"I can't zip mine," the martial arts expert reluctantly admitted.

Giggling, Orihime popped her head out of her stall. "I can't zip mine either," she chirped.

Tatsuki opened her door, her face a brilliant shade of pink as she looked at her best friend. "I'll help you if you help me."

Feeling oddly brave, Orihime stepped out into the changing room with a grin that nearly made her eyes close. "Of course!"

Mimicking the movement of her best friend, Tatsuki stopped and sucked in a breath at Orihime's dress. "Kami, Orihime," she breathed, her eyes wide.

The dress fit perfectly, snug on Orihime's curves without being too snug. The dress billowed loosely out at the hips without all the obnoxious frill that went under more elaborate dresses and gowns. Although it wasn't obvious at first, tiny silver and white beads were sewn into the corset, catching the light with ease and emphasizing the moderate amount of cleavage shown. The color was not something Orihime normally wore, which only added to the novelty of it all. The light seafoam caught in Orihime's eyes and contrasted wonderfully with her alabaster skin. It was absolutely beautiful to behold and once she zipped the back up for her, Rukia and Rangiku appeared.

"Well I'll be damned," Rangiku breathed. "It's perfect!" She looked at Rukia with a grin before high-fiving her. "Well done!"

Beaming, Rukia indicated with a finger that Orihime should turn around. Blushing, Orihime held her hair back from her face and did as asked, the dress flaring out as she spun. "Do you like it?" she breathed, her heart hammering in her chest as her mind concocted images of dancing with Ichigo once more.

"Like it?! I love it!" Rukia cheered.

"It's beautiful," Tatsuki admitted with a quieter nod of her head.

"You're going to woo the pants right off of him!" Rangiku cheered, her eyes dancing with mischief, earning her a thump from Rukia and an embarrassed squeal from Orihime. The little blue men held onto the comment for all it was worth, despite Orihime covering her face with her hands. She was completely confounded by the excitement that rippled through her like a shock at Rangiku's words, scarcely able to take a deep breath as she shook her head, trying to forcefully clear away the images conjured up by Rangiku's careless words. She was having a hard-enough time _without_ added ammunition for the little blue men… Tatsuki practically snarled at the insinuation.

"Anyway!" Rangiku quickly recovered from Rukia's well-delivered punch, her arm already turning red. "Let's see yours, Arisawa."

Orihime drug her hands down her face in an effort to clear her thoughts and dashed forward to zip Tatsuki's dress, noting that it came up much higher, with a slight plunge to the left from the exposed shoulder. The neckline and back were not straight, the angled cut wavy in appearance. Each flower had yellow beads sewn into the middle, adding depth to the stamen. "Turn around," Rangiku commanded, her eyes bright as she took in the martial arts athlete, who was completely out of her element.

With a grace that was surprising and yet wasn't, Tatsuki slowly turned, holding her arms slightly out to her sides as she did so. The dress nearly dragged on the floor, with a slight train in the back, and once she turned, Orihime could see there was actually white bordering the slit up her right leg. Upon closer inspection, she could see the slit was more like a crossing of fabric, the dress meant to have an appearance to that almost of a "traditional" yukata – minus _a lot_ of fabric. Although understated, the dress _screamed_ Tatsuki in a way Orihime had never seen before. "It's perfect Tatsuki-chan!" she cried, once more bouncing up and down in her excitement.

"She's right," Rukia encouraged with a gentle nod.

"It suits you so well!" Rangiku exclaimed, completely satisfied with her skills in picking out a dress for the one who would have been the most challenging.

"Did you two find something?" Orihime asked, brought back into the moment by the dresses slung over the soul reapers' arms.

Rukia lifted the small stack in her arms with a smile. "I may not be able to pick one out on the first try, but hopefully there's one in here."

Rangiku, on the other hand, had a stack of at least ten – insistent on trying each and every one of them on. It wasn't just that she couldn't find a dress she was satisfied with, she just liked trying fancy dresses on. And so, to humor her, the others ended up grabbing other ones to try as well, even though Orihime and Tatsuki had their hearts set on their first pick. They giggled and laughed, squeezing into dresses that would show _way_ too much skin and others that made them feel like they were nine years old again. It was the most at ease the group of them had felt in a long time, warmth and happiness spreading through them. The only time Orihime felt happier was with Ichigo, a fact that was not lost on her. Tatsuki finally felt like she was accepted by the others, the two soul reapers clearly not trying to hide anything, and she quickly realized why Orihime was so taken with them.

After about an hour, Rukia stepped out of the dressing room with a delicate, almost shy smile crossing her features. The air around them immediately sobered, as Orihime realized this was one the soul reaper was truly interested in. The dress was delicate, the way Rukia appeared even though she would break anyone who dared to say as much. A deep violet, like her eyes, the dress came down to the middle of Rukia's shins, the base of the dress strapless and dipping slightly in the back only to be covered with a thin layer of gauzy fabric that added depth to the dress and functioned like straps going over her shoulders. Like Orihime's the dress was fitted throughout the corset, although Rukia had considerably "less to hold the dress up with", as she liked to complain, flaring out at the hips with the aid of black lace. Lacy black gloves accompanied the outfit, coming halfway up Rukia's upper arms.

"Wow," Tatsuki breathed.

"I'll be damned," Rangiku muttered.

"It's beautiful!" Orihime beamed, the only one who didn't lower her voice.

"You think so?" Rukia asked, holding onto the material and spinning slowly. "It's not too… girlish?"

"Isn't that the point? To be girlish?" Tatsuki retorted, having finally embraced the idea herself.

Rolling her eyes, Rukia groaned. "I mean childish."

Grinning, Rangiku shook her head. "Definitely not."

"Then we're just waiting on you, Lieutenant," Rukia teased with a smirk, forgetting that they were supposed to keep such things under wraps in present company.

Orihime was the only one to notice the slip, her eyes sliding to Tatsuki, who was still appraising Rukia's choice. It appeared she hadn't noticed, or if she did, she didn't think it worth reacting to. Regardless, Orihime let out a silent sigh of relief when Rangiku spun in a circle, the pastel pink dress she wore flaring out from her hips as though made for a salsa dancer. The color perfectly matched the sash she usually wore with her shihakusho, her favorite color. Simple and yet elegant, with a halter-style neckline that clasped behind her neck, leaving the majority of her back exposed, the dress allowed for a moderate amount of cleavage that her breasts clearly strained against. Beautiful, but understated in a way the lieutenant could never be, the hem stopped at her knees, showing her beautifully sculpted calves. "You mean you don't like this one?" she teased, continuing to spin on her toes, her hair flaring out behind her.

"Like it?" Rukia asked, surprise evident in her wide eyes as she finally seriously appraised the fellow Shinigami. "I never would have expected that to be an option you'd seriously consider!" she teased.

Rangiku giggled mischievously. "Oh, I'm not!" Spinning one final time, she disappeared into her changing room. "I've saved the best for last!" She took her time changing while the others took off the silly and odd dresses they had been wearing in relative silence. Orihime had no idea what to expect when they went shopping, but she hadn't quite expected them to have such quick luck in the first store they came to. It allowed her mind to wander, wondering what the boys were up to and what their tuxedoes were going to look like. It brought her back to the image of Ichigo, dressed up in a suit and tie, leaning heavily on her doorframe as his eyes raked over her hungrily as she stood before him in the gown Rukia had chosen for her. The thought alone made her cheeks flush, but she couldn't force it away. She imagined hearing the words, "May I come in?" rumbling from his throat, the sound a gentle caress to her ears that brought goosebumps to her flesh before she smacked her cheeks to clear her mind. She _wanted_ to cause such a reaction, which was anything but helpful given her current predicament.

By the time Rangiku emerged from her dressing room, the other three had hung up their rejected dresses, the ones they chose hanging over the outside of their changing room doors. All eyes were on the second seat of squad ten as she sauntered forward, Tatsuki's mouth actually dropping open in surprise.

"You can't wear that! Uryu will faint!" Rukia teased. "And Hitsugaya will have a heart attack!"

Smiling, Rangiku spun in a slow circle. The periwinkle dress perfectly matched the color of her eyes but was accented with pearl and silver sewn throughout. The plunging neckline scarcely kept her ample breasts restrained, part of her abdomen shown through a thinly covered but purposeful split in the fabric that went nearly to her belly button. Chenille the same color as her dress covered the satin, adding only _slight_ opacity to the otherwise scandalous plunge. Strapless, the dress was fitted through the corset and slightly down her hips before loosening and billowing out in loose folds that stopped just above her ankles. "All the better then, right?" she teased as the dress swirled around her legs.

Orihime was speechless. She knew Rangiku was confident in her appearance and was willing to dress scandalously and provocatively, but she'd never seen it to quite the extent she was currently witnessing. Knowing Uryu, he surely _would_ faint or at the very least have a horrendous nose bleed. She could only hope that he wouldn't choose a white tux.

Tatsuki was the one to voice the obvious question: "You sure they'll still let you in dressed like that?"

Scandalized, Rangiku threw her hair back over her shoulder. "Oh, they'll let me in all right," she replied with a haughty smile. Her mind was made up – this was what she was wearing, and she'd be damned if anyone was going to try to talk her out of it. "Well, ladies, I'd say this was a successful trip!" she beamed, disappearing back into her stall to remove the dress while the others waited in the chairs outside.

"I honestly thought this would take a lot longer," Tatsuki finally admitted, toying with the hem of her dress.

Smiling at their success, Orihime could scarcely sit still. This was something she'd always dreamed of doing, but growing up without her mother, there was never an opportunity to. Tears stung her eyes at the thought and she stoically blinked them away, but not before Tatsuki noticed.

"What's wrong, Orihime?" The words immediately caught Rukia and Rangiku's attention, the tall lieutenant finally leaving the sanctity of her changing stall.

Brushing away her stubborn tears, Orihime tried to wave their concern off, but Tatsuki persisted. "I… just," she stuttered before forcing herself to meet the eyes of the three women around her. "Thank you for this!" she blurted, finally burying her face in her hands out of embarrassment.

Immediately understanding what Orihime was trying to say, Tatsuki slid from her chair to her knees, pulling Orihime into a warm hug that only made the healer sniffle. "Of course," she breathed, squeezing her gently. In a rare show of affection, Rukia soon wrapped her arms around Orihime as well, quickly followed by Rangiku. No further words were shared – they didn't need to – as they simply breathed in the moment until the tension left Orihime's shoulders and they all parted simultaneously.

"Now for the painful part," Rangiku chided, brushing Orihime's hair back over her shoulder with a gentle, warming smile. "Paying."

* * *

"Well, better let them know we're done," Rukia began, pulling her phone out from her purse while standing in line to check out.

"Good thing they have bags to hide these in," Rangiku smiled mischievously, shifting her two bags. She'd elected to buy both the pink and periwinkle dresses, despite promising the captain she would only purchase one. "Can't have them knowing exactly what we're wearing, now can we?" She winked at Orihime, whose cheeks immediately darkened.

"We have to meet them in the food court?" Rukia was reading her text with Renji out loud. "Apparently they have to know the color of our dresses."

Tatsuki flinched, embarrassed enough about the whole situation without having Chad _right in front of her._ When she looked at Orihime, she was oddly relieved to see the same expression on her best friend's face. She knew _why_ they needed the color, it just seemed so… formal. "Do we have to?"

Rukia's brow furrowed. "Ishida won't leave them alone about it," she chuckled. "So yes."

Slapping the two that were dragging their feet on the back, Rangiku leaned down to speak quietly between them. "Come on, girls! Let's show those guys what they have to look forward to!"

"Rangiku-chan," Orihime whispered before being shoved forward with a yelp.

* * *

The food court was loud and crowded. The only reason they found the guys so easily was thanks to Chad's towering height and Renji and Ichigo's wild hair color. With bags slung over their shoulders, the girls made their way to them with smiles that were either happy or nervous. Orihime found it hard to meet Ichigo's eyes, while Tatsuki had similar trouble with Chad. Rangiku and Rukia had no such issues.

"About time!" Renji teased with a grin.

"Oh, shut up! You know you're just happy we didn't take all day," Rukia chided right back, elbowing him in the side even as she slipped under his arm with ease.

Orihime saw the casual show of affection and sighed, her grip on the hanger of her dress increasing with her inner turmoil. It was Ichigo's soft but deep voice that brought her from her thoughts. "She's right. We did fully expect you guys to take all day." He was bent over slightly, so he could whisper just to her, a gentle smile on his lips when he stood up tall once more.

"Ah, well, we, I," Orihime stuttered before coughing to clear her throat. "Rukia-chan and Rangiku-chan actually picked out mine and Tatsuki's dresses immediately," she admitted, feeling warmth rush to her cheeks. _I'm talking to Ichigo about dresses?!_ The whole idea seemed absolutely absurd, even to her.

Ichigo's left brow rose as he cocked his head. "Really?" Something flashed in his eyes that she couldn't read before he jolted with horror. "Wait, _Rangiku_ chose your dress?!" _No! She'd leave way too much skin exposed!_

Giggling, Orihime shook her head. "No. Rukia-chan did."

Relief washed through him like a warm caress and Ichigo sighed despite himself. He knew Rukia had tricks up her sleeve, but he trusted her when it came to Orihime, as much as he could trust anyone other than himself, anyway. Then again, he was starting _not_ to trust himself either…

"Give me some credit, Kurosaki!" Rangiku snapped, her eyes flashing dangerously from where she stood next to Uryu. He was peaking at a piece of her dress she pulled through the slot for the hanger.

Grumbling inwardly, Ichigo suddenly found he felt too crowded. There were too many eyes on him, on _them_. While he loved spending time with Orihime, he wasn't sure he wanted to spend that time with the rest of his friends, which was not the newest development. He'd grown selfish and greedy of their time together… An issue that was only getting worse the more time they _did_ spend alone together. That, and he didn't want anyone to see just how deeply she affected him. Desperate for a distraction, he dropped his gaze to the auburn-haired healer beside him. "You hungry?"

As if on cue, Orihime's stomach rumbled, causing her to flush and drop her hands to her belly with a soft giggle that warmed Ichigo's heart. He was growing so used to seeing her every day, catching the little nuances of her personality that he'd missed before. The sound of her laughter could melt his heart, while her smile could brighten his soul. He didn't realize he was holding his breath, waiting for her answer, until she nodded softly. "Yes!"

Unable to stop the gentle smile that caressed his features, Ichigo successfully resisted the urge to take her hand – the hand that was closest to him – and nodded his head toward the many choices of food. "My treat then."

The low timbre to his voice made Orihime shiver pleasantly, which she hid by falling into step beside him. "Thank you, Kurosaki-kun, but you don't have to do that."

His smile widened, remembering their playful banter just the previous afternoon. "I told you I'd pay you back somehow," he murmured, feeling warmth rush to his cheeks from such a statement but forcing himself to maintain eye contact.

His words had the desired effect, for Orihime stumbled and gasped at the same time, her eyes darting to his even as his hands went to steady her – which wasn't necessary. "K-Kurosaki-kun!" she chastised, but the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her.

Somewhat reluctant to take his hands from her shoulders, Ichigo nevertheless let her go, groaning inwardly even as he smiled mischievously. "Deal?"

Her lower lip sticking out in a pout, Orihime reluctantly nodded, her eyes flashing. "Deal."

Warmth spreading throughout his entire being, Ichigo felt in danger of floating away. It certainly _wasn't_ a date, but it was _almost_ a date, right? "Then lead the way," he offered, his hand coming up to rest at the small of her back. The motion was so automatic, he scarcely realized he was doing it until he felt her hair brush against the back of his hand. By the time he realized he was touching her, without the ruse of guiding her through the snow, his first instinct was to panic and pull away, but then he didn't want to hurt her feelings by acting as though she repulsed him. Without realizing it, he'd put himself in the exact same predicament Orihime had been in just the previous afternoon, grabbing his arm between hers on instinct, rather than thinking about it. Instead of pulling away, he smiled nervously when she looked up at him, her eyes bright in the harsh overhead lighting. When she took a slight side-step closer to him as they walked, he inwardly sighed with relief, and left his hand where it was.

"Hey! Where are you two going?!" Rukia shouted, drawing the eyes of nearly half the food court.

"Buzz off!" Ichigo retorted, his eye-roll obvious even though Rukia could only see the back of his head. She simply smiled and looked up at Renji as though she were a proud mother.

Seeing the glee in Rukia's eyes, Renji gently squeezed her. "What do you say we go get some food too? I'm starving!"

"Why, Lieutenant," Rukia teased, her eyes flashing. "Are you offering to buy me lunch?"

Renji's smirk was wide and content as he squeezed the tiny woman beside him. He'd always been confident, except when it came to Rukia. Thankfully, that had changed. "If the lady demands." His eyes twinkled mischievously as Rukia grinned back up at him.

"She does."

"We still have to find our shoes," Rangiku interrupted with a hint of a whine in her voice. Thoughts of their day of shopping coming to a premature end caused her to nearly panic.

"Then find them _after_ we eat," Renji argued, already moving off with Rukia at his side.

"Where the hell is everyone going?!" Tatsuki gasped, terror gripping her at the thought of being left alone with Chad.

"You hungry?" the very deep voice she craved so much startled her and she had to suppress the urge to jump. _Warriors_ do not _jump!_

Stifling her anxiety, Tatsuki nodded just in time for her own stomach to rumble. Chad smiled gently, the corners of his lips barely moving, before extending his arm for her to take. The ease of the motion surprised both of them – Chad silently sighing with relief when Tatsuki's arm slid through his as though he were leading her somewhere much more fancy and important than the mall's food court. Regardless, he made Tatsuki feel like a princess, and her smile widened – making all the anxiety worth it as they made their own way to whatever drew their fancy to eat.

"Well I'll be damned," Rangiku breathed, shocked at the sudden disappearance of everyone. It was a phrase she was using more frequently than ever over the past couple of hours.

"I guess we better go eat too, then," Uryu offered, looking up at her with disinterested eyes. "Then you can find your shoes while we put in flower orders."

Smiling despite herself, Rangiku nodded. "Always the man with a plan, Ishida."

Uryu chose to take that as a compliment.

* * *

 _A/N: Hehehe! Did you catch the nod toward the manga with Orihime's little daydream? Couldn't resist!_

 _I_ swear _there was an image on DeviantArt that was actually the inspiration for Orihime's dress, but now I can't find it to save my life!_ _I also forgot to mention in my last post that there was also an image on DeviantArt that inspired the hug Ichigo and Orihime shared after she was rescued. I've messaged to see if I can share it/include the link, so if I can I will, but it's wonderful and heart-wrenching at the same time. I hope I painted the picture clearly enough._

 _As always, thanks for reading. Reviews are always welcome! And of course, I regrettably do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo._


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: I can't believe it's been so long since I updated last and for that, I am sincerely sorry. Without going into all the boring details, I hope you enjoy and thanks so much for your patience! See the end for more notes!_

* * *

Overwhelmed by so many choices, Orihime's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets when she saw the ornate burger joint off to the side of the food court. It was off to the side because it was more of a restaurant than a cheap grab and go place like the others, but once she caught sight of the gorgeously thick slabs of meat perfectly placed on toasted buns and garnished with all sorts of sides, she couldn't help herself. "Oh!" she squealed in excitement, her bag crinkling as she jumped and clasped her hands in front of her chest. At the same time as she jumped, she felt Ichigo's hand move a little further south than he'd surely intended, her cheeks immediately flooding red, especially once she saw the horrified look on his face, and the way even his face was turning red.

The moment he'd felt a hint of Orihime's rear in his hand, Ichigo promptly pulled away, shock rippling through him like a shot at the sudden change. Before his mind could process more than, _how the hell did that just happen,_ his hand was pulled free and the blood was rushing to his face. While the mishap wasn't nearly as bad as their incident on the hill the previous day, he _had_ just unintentionally grazed an area that was **off limits.** Hadn't been his fault but did that really matter? Regardless, he could pretend nothing happened and just return his hand to her back or apologize like a bumbling idiot. He perhaps unfortunately chose the latter. "Eh," he stuttered, taking the offending hand and ruffling the hair at the back of his neck nervously. "Sorry!"

His blurted apology and averted eyes stung Orihime's heart, and she reacted without thinking, nudging him in the side with her shoulder and flashing him a smile. It had been an accident after all. Nothing to be so upset about, right? Besides, it's not like she _didn't_ like it… "Kurosaki-kun, can we eat here?" she asked, successfully changing the subject back to what their mission had been.

Relieved and yet somehow surprised by the way Orihime brushed off what could have been a supremely awkward moment, Ichigo finally looked at where they were and smiled. He didn't care that their meal would easily cost double what it would in the food court. The way her eyes were lit up made it all worthwhile. "You sure you can handle it?" he teased, nudging her right back with his elbow. "I'm pretty sure they don't serve wasabi and red bean paste here. It's all American food."

Orihime shrugged but pursed her lips. "I've got this!" she exclaimed with her usual beaming smile. She was back to her goofy self once more.

Ichigo was still smiling and the fact no longer bothered him, even if his hollow had picked up on it. _**'Maybe you should "accidentally" grab her ass more often, King.'**_

Without reacting outwardly, Ichigo cursed his hollow. _**'Don't even think about it.'**_ To Orihime, he indicated she should continue with a casual sweep of his arm. It would have been natural to extend his arm and have her take it, but that would be too much, wouldn't it? "Then let's go."

Giggling excitedly, Orihime all but bounded past him, excitement and hunger driving her forward, even when they had to wait to be seated. The fact that they were eating in a restaurant, _alone, together_ was not lost on either of them, but they wisely chose not to comment on it. It was as though speaking about their situation would break the spell they'd found themselves under and bring them back into reality. The reality of frazzled nerves and uncertainty. No, it was better to enjoy their pleasant fiction instead.

Orihime's enthusiasm was only slightly muted when she looked at the unfamiliar menu. Unlike Ichigo, she'd never eaten in this particular restaurant before, and while she knew she liked American food, she wasn't well versed in the numerous burgers and sandwiches listed as options before her. "Kurosaki-kun?" she whispered, slapping her menu down on the table with a dejected sigh.

"Hmmm?" he hummed, peering at her from over his menu in an effort to hide the smirk contorting his lips. Seeing her flustered over something so silly made him giddy, his belly doing weird flips, and he wasn't sure he wanted her to see that – let alone anyone else.

Exasperated, she threw her hands up. "I have no idea what to eat!"

There was no hiding the chuckle that escaped his lips at her annoyed and nervous proclamation. Even sitting across from her, the urge to reassuringly take her hand was nearly overwhelming, but Ichigo managed to quash it. The fact that he'd seen the others make their way inside was only part of his deterrent. Thankfully he couldn't see any of them and he hoped that meant they hadn't seen _them,_ but he had a sneaking suspicion at least Rukia had. Instead, he gently set his menu down, leaving his hands folded on the table in front of him as his eyes bored into hers. "Do you trust me?"

Surprised by the question, Orihime's brows furrowed, and a look of almost indignation crossed her features as she met his gaze. It was a look he was used to getting from Rukia or Tatsuki, not from Orihime – but he liked the fire in her eyes nonetheless. "Of course I do!"

His smile widening, Ichigo shrugged. "Then let me order for you."

His quiet request was surprising and somehow incredibly intimate. Orihime knew guys sometimes ordered for their dates, but was this a date? Could she call it that? Blood instantly rushed to her cheeks at the mere thought, the image of Ichigo sitting across from her, seemingly perfectly relaxed, more like a dream than reality. Regardless, she trusted him with her life, so she could trust him with this. "Okay," she answered with a gentle nod and a nervous smile.

Although he appeared completely relaxed, Ichigo's heart was pounding within his chest. He had no idea what prompted him to say he'd order for her, the same thoughts running through his mind as they were through Orihime's. _This isn't a date, you idiot!_ He chastised himself, careful to keep his face neutral, even when the server came to take their order and he ordered for both of them, getting Orihime the exact same thing he did. The girl could pack away a surprising amount of food for her size, but he wanted to make sure she enjoyed it. He was not disappointed when her face lit up at what he'd requested.

They passed the time until their food arrived in amicable conversation, talking about nothing in particular but also feeling like they were talking about everything. Ichigo told her how the tailors couldn't get enough of Sado's towering height, the poor man extremely uncomfortable when they measured him more than enough times. She told him how Rangiku insisted on trying on dress after dress, just for the fun of it, and how she'd gotten the rest of them into it as well. Although both of them wanted to, neither broached the topic of the day before. Orihime wanted to know how cold he was on the way home and if his shoes were ruined, Ichigo wanted to make sure she knew it was worth the frozen feet – he'd had to soak them in warm water when he got home, they'd been so cold. But somehow bringing up what had been such a pleasant day, ending in such an intimate embrace, felt taboo – like talking about it would mean it didn't happen, or somehow make it less special.

When their food arrived, Orihime's face lit up with excitement and unbridled hunger. The large burger was thick and juicy, topped with a slice of cheese that was melting as she looked at it, onion, tomato, lettuce, ketchup, and mayo. The bun was perfectly toasted on the inside, its top open so she could adjust the condiments if she wanted to. A large pile of steaming fries was next to the burger, along with a small pile of sliced pickles that she could add should she want to. The surprising addition was a small cup of thickly sliced jalapenos, the spicy and pungent aroma striking to her senses. They were obviously an add-on, something she recalled Ichigo asking for on the side, although she wasn't sure why. What was most exciting was the tall frosted glass placed before her containing some brown, fizzy liquid topped with a large serving of ice cream. "Kurosaki-kun," she breathed, pointing at the glass with wide eyes that nearly shone with stars. "What's this?"

His smile was nearly as wide as it was when they were sledding, and Orihime quickly found her heart racing the more she witnessed it. Rather than directly answer her, Ichigo took his matching glass and brought it closer to him. "Try it," he insisted, pressing the provided spoon through the ice cream at the side of the glass and into the beverage beneath. Bubbles rapidly rose from the liquid and he quickly took a sip from his straw, clearly fighting a smile. He had to down several gulps before the drink was no longer in danger of overflowing. "Like this."

Her eyes glued at first to Ichigo's lips, that she imagined were quite cold, Orihime followed his advice and dipped her spoon into the drink before downing several gulps of the cold brew. "It's root beer!" she cheered, taking a piece of ice cream and plunging it into the drink beneath.

"They call it a root beer float," he explained, his eyes on her movements even as he moved his away.

"I love it!" she chimed, her cheeks warming under Ichigo's concentrated gaze. Before she could drink anymore, she followed his move and separated herself from her dessert beverage, eying the burger hungrily once more.

"I thought you might," Ichigo muttered, picking up some fries and popping them into his mouth. Orihime quickly followed suit, only much more demurely, before she finished putting her burger together and taking a bite. She felt like it could have been made even better with some wasabi smeared across the top, but it was still hot and delicious, and she had to quickly wipe the juices from her chin before Ichigo could see. Somehow understanding her without her saying a word, Ichigo indicated the small cup of jalapenos placed between them. "It's not wasabi, but try these," he instructed.

Curious, Orihime raised a cautious brow but quickly pulled the jalapenos towards her. Their zesty scent was strong enough to make her eyes want to water – something wasabi never did – but she picked one up nonetheless and popped it into her mouth just in time to see Ichigo's eyes widen in shock.

"I didn't mean!" he started, his mouth falling open as he stared at her.

Crunching through the jalapeno, Orihime immediately understood what Ichigo was trying to say. Fire erupted inside her mouth, coating her taste buds in painful flames that only increased the longer she chewed. Without realizing it, her face scrunched up in pain, red peppering her skin from the chest up as she quickly swallowed the offending pepper. She squealed quietly, placing a hand in front of her mouth as her eyes watered before attempting to fan the heat from her with a hand. The burning sensation that remained caused her to pant as she fanned herself, her lips turning red without her realizing it.

"Drink this!" Ichigo commanded, all but shoving her root beer float in her face. She immediately obliged as though it was the first drink she'd had in weeks.

It took nearly half of her root beer float to quench the fire inside her mouth, and once it was gone, Orihime burst out laughing. Ichigo still sat across from her, his mouth hanging open in shock, his hands slightly curled on the table as he'd wanted to do something but had no idea what he could do. The moment her laughter rang through the air, he joined her, chuckling quietly with relief, and because the image of Orihime turning as red as a tomato, fanning her mouth, had been something he never wanted to forget.

"Kami, Kurosaki-kun! That was _hot!_ " she exclaimed once she was able to successfully form words once more.

Still chuckling, Ichigo shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know how you can eat _wasabi_ and think jalapenos are hotter than that."

Orihime cocked her head to the side, a teasing grin crossing her still bright red lips. "You mean wasabi is supposed to be hotter than this?"

Ichigo chuckled and shrugged, eying her carefully when she drank more to help soothe her offended tongue. "Still," he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."

Now it was Orihime's turn to be bewildered as she raised an eyebrow at Ichigo. _Kurosaki-kun is apologizing? Why is he apologizing?_ She hesitated a moment before realizing it was a _rare_ thing indeed for the substitute soul reaper to apologize… Deciding not to dwell on it too much, she took several of the jalapenos and added them to her burger before pressing the top back down. "Sorry for what?"

His eyes were dark and serious when he met her gaze, the fierceness in his eyes catching her off guard before he dropped them. Even from her position across the table, Orihime could sense the tenseness in his shoulders, the way they were bunched higher than usual. Rather than answer her, he indicated her newly adorned burger with his own. "Still planning on eating them?"

Her eyes dropping to her own burger, Orihime smiled. "It _was_ good!"

Ichigo nearly choked, coughing and having to slam a fist against his chest before he could look at her incredulously. "Seriously?!"

To prove her point, Orihime picked up her burger. It was already hard to get the entire thing in her mouth, now it was only going to be worse. _Crap! I don't want Ichigo to see me making a mess!_ Regardless, once she took a bite with the jalapenos included, she smiled and giggled, careful to keep her lips over her teeth as she chewed. The jalapenos were still definitely hot and spicy, but when combined with the burger it was downright _delicious._ Although she was slightly surprised that Ichigo had thought ahead for such a thing, _for her_ , the fact only made the band squeezing her chest grow tighter, and part of her wished she could throw herself across the table and hug him once more.

Ichigo understood what she was saying without her needing to say any words and chuckled before digging into his own meal. When Orihime finished her root beer float a lot sooner than he did, he pushed his toward her, insisting she share as she was still washing down the heat of the jalapenos included in her burger.

"Oh, Kurosaki-kun! I couldn't!" she argued the moment he moved his mug towards her.

Several options ran through Ichigo's mind at her refusal, including how adorable she looked in her shock at his offer. He'd never offered to share food with someone before (maybe his sisters ages ago, but even then, he couldn't be sure), but somehow it seemed second nature to do whatever Orihime needed. He wouldn't mind if she took the rest of his float for herself, leaving him with nothing – as long as she had what she needed. Of course, he knew that was something she would never do. "I'm not asking you, Inoue," he finally answered, his frown reappearing for the first time since they'd sat down. It intimidated the healer enough that she dipped her head, stuck her straw in his mug, and took a cautious sip.

"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun," she murmured, her cheeks burning for an entirely different reason as she suddenly found herself unable to meet his eyes. When he remained silent and she finally looked up, she was rewarded with the gentlest of smiles, his eyes dancing in the dim light of the restaurant. It was enough to make her stomach flip, her heart pounding. Little did she know he was resisting reaching across the table to touch her surely warm cheek.

"You're welcome, Inoue," he muttered right back, his fingers twitching without either of them noticing. Her shy smile, the one that was smaller than her usual grin, her lashes dusting her cheeks as she brushed her hair nervously back behind her ear, was the only reward he needed, and they quickly resumed eating, sharing the root beer float down to the last drop.

They finished sooner than either of them would have liked, both polishing off their entire plates and downing what remained of Ichigo's root beer float. Sharing the beverage was something so small and yet so significant for the two of them that it left their thoughts in more than a little bit of turmoil. Ichigo no longer needed to analyze his actions – he knew exactly what they meant, despite his arguments to the contrary. Orihime was the one over-analyzing and nervous. Sharing a drink was something only _very close_ friends did, or those that were in a relationship. So, what did that make them? Sure, she considered him a very close friend, despite wanting more, but how did he feel? Why was it that they were suddenly acting and treating each other so differently than before? The small flicker of hope inside her dared to blossom into a flame, burning brightly and warmly, especially when she caught Ichigo looking at her while she took a sip of the root beer float, his eyes dark and yet warm, a gentle crooked smile on his lips. His eyes fell when she pulled away, watching the nervous way she licked her lips, before she pushed the beverage toward him, and suddenly their roles were reversed. There was nothing manly about drinking from a straw, it was something Mizuiro had mentioned to them all numerous times, but that didn't stop her from watching, imagining Ichigo's cold lips pressed against hers when he pulled back from taking a sip himself. The moment his eyes met hers again, they both quickly looked away with a quiet sound of distress coming from both of them – Orihime's more like a squeal and Ichigo's a deep grunt – before continuing with their meal.

Despite what could have been awkward, their sharing and conversation were easy, alternating between periods of comfortable silence and easy chatter before Orihime pushed her plate away with a content sigh. "Oh, wow! I'm stuffed!" she happily exclaimed, resting a hand on her belly with an impish grin.

Chuckling, Ichigo shook his head, not at all surprised by the auburn-haired healer's reaction. "I'm glad we got fitted _before_ eating," he teased, not wanting her to feel alone in her overindulgence.

Giggling, Orihime ruffled the bag covering her dress affectionately. "Me too!"

When the bill came, Orihime eyed Ichigo, well aware that her choice was more expensive than the other eateries in the food court. While she had no idea how much what he'd ordered for them cost, there was a part of her that felt bad for choosing such a place, despite what Ichigo had said. When his face remained impassive as he laid out the necessary money, she touched his arm to get his attention. "Thank you, Kurosaki-kun," she breathed, bowing her head slightly.

Her gentle touch on his arm surprised him, but Ichigo was able to keep himself from jumping out of his skin – her fingers cool and yet soothing to the touch. But when he looked at her, he couldn't help himself. He didn't like seeing her look downtrodden. His fingers lightly touched her chin, pulling her gaze up to his before he released her, warmth spreading through him at the delicate blush dusting her cheeks, and the way her eyes cautiously met his, her lips parting slightly in surprise at his gentle touch. As her stormy eyes met his, he immediately forgot what he was about to say, what he'd had planned to set her clearly uneasy mind to rest. _This was as much for her as it was for me,_ he admitted, realizing he'd been dying to touch her ever since they sat down. Hell, ever since he'd left her house the night before! But he couldn't very well say that, now could he? Bringing up that he told her he'd pay her back only seemed to diminish the time they'd just spent together, and he didn't want that either. _Damn it,_ he cursed as the silence reached the point of becoming uncomfortable, as made obvious by Orihime's lower lip finding its way between her teeth.

"You're welcome," he breathed, suppressing the urge to cringe at his lame choice of words. _I want to do this again,_ he added in his mind.

' _ **Then tell her that you coward!'**_

He wanted to, he really did, but just like his hollow said, he was too much of a coward to admit it. "Besides, I wanted to," he allowed himself to quietly admit instead. His words brought even more color to Orihime's cheeks before he dispelled the awkward air by sliding from his seat and rising to his feet, offering her his hand to help her up. "Well, should we go find the others?"

Before she could even think about it, Orihime placed her hand in Ichigo's, allowing him to gently tug her up to her feet. He released her as soon as she was standing, both of them regretting the fact that he had to let her go, but relieved they were no longer touching when Renji's voice rang out to them from the entrance. "Kurosaki! Inoue! There you are!"

Ichigo cringed at the fiery red-head's loud voice but didn't miss the smug smile of Rukia at his side. Her arms were folded across her chest, Renji carrying her bag, but when her violet eyes met his they sparkled with mischief he already knew he'd be hearing about later. _Shit…_

"Rukia-chan!" Orihime cried, leaving Ichigo's side to run to the tiny Shinigami. "Did you eat here too? The food's amazing! Kurosaki-kun got me this thing called a root beer float and it was delicious!" she immediately started gushing, completely unaware of the silent conversation (and teasing) that had just happened, even after Ichigo joined them a moment later.

Ichigo approached the trio with more than a little trepidation, his eyes already narrowed at Renji when he saw him fighting to conceal a smirk. Although he was silent, Ichigo's eyes flashed, warning, _'Don't you say a damn thing!'_ He was lucky Renji decided to oblige.

* * *

Once everyone had gathered back out in the food court, the guys and girls prepared to once more separate – the girls to pilfer through shoes and the guys to place their orders for flowers. Just before parting, Ichigo and Renji had to be reminded to check the color of their lady's dress, both of them more than a little embarrassed to peek through the hole in the garment bag to see the color. Ichigo found himself surprised by Orihime's choice, but nevertheless was excited to see what she'd found, even though he found her beautiful in everything. He'd never really thought about what she would be wearing to the dance until faced with the gentle seafoam color greeting him through the hole in the bag, but once he considered it, his stomach tightened nervously. He didn't want others to stare at her, didn't want anyone doing much _looking_ at her, but depending on what dress she found, she might very well attract _a lot_ of attention. What would he do then? What _should_ he do under those circumstances? When he risked a glance at the others, none of the other guys seemed to be quite as concerned. Suddenly, he realized just how complicated this whole dance thing was truly going to end up being, especially if he continued the ruse of only wanting to go as her friend.

' _ **Then don't, you dumb ass.'**_

Ichigo cringed before he could stop it, dropping the sides of the bag that he had been holding open to peer inside. Orihime noticed the movement, her brow furrowing as she stepped back. _Does he hate the color?_ She internally panicked, her eyes widening as Ichigo stood up tall once more before her.

Completely unaware that Orihime just witnessed his reaction, Ichigo scratched the back of his neck, ignoring his hollow's comment – true though it was. "All right, I guess that's it then?" he asked nervously, completely unsure of what they needed to do now.

"Come on, Ichigo. It's going to take some time with all of us and we don't need you forgetting the color by the time you order."

Glowering at the annoyed tone in Uryu's voice, Ichigo turned away from Orihime. "We'll catch up with you guys later," he said as a statement, but he was really questioning – Uryu was the one calling the shots, much to his chagrin.

Orihime smiled, even though her belly was tight with a sudden nervousness she couldn't explain. "Right!"

Beside her best friend, Tatsuki looked at the pinched corners of Orihime's eyes and frowned. _What did he do now?!_ She groaned inwardly, gently touching Orihime's arm to pull her away from the guys and to follow after Rangiku, who was leading them further into the mall, so they could search for shoes.

Once they were far enough away from the guys, Tatsuki discreetly looked over her shoulder before pulling Orihime close to her side. "What was that about?" she hissed, her irritation clear in her voice.

"What?" Orihime gasped, her eyes wide and innocent when she glanced at Tatsuki. Even with a quick look, it was clear her best friend was angry – she just had no idea why.

"Ichigo."

Embarrassment flashing through her like a wave, Orihime shrugged. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "I think he might not like my dress," she admitted a moment later.

"Don't be stupid," Tatsuki chastised, her tone harsher than she meant it. "He couldn't even see the thing, and even if he could, there's nothing _not_ to like about it."

 _But he flinched,_ she wanted to say, but couldn't. As soon as the thought presented itself in her mind, she realized the main reason he flinched. Ichigo wasn't a man to show pain, and he usually kept his feelings carefully concealed, except when his hollow was acting up. Sometimes he couldn't stop his reaction until it had already happened, which was the only reason she'd picked up on his issues with him in the first place (although he'd admittedly gotten a lot better about it after Hueco Mundo, but she didn't want to think about that). _So maybe it wasn't the dress,_ she breathed inwardly, relief causing her tense shoulders to palpably relax. Regardless, she couldn't say so out loud. Tatsuki knew things, but she wasn't about to divulge the trouble Ichigo still sometimes had with his hollow. That was too personal for her to share. "I suppose you're right."

Surprised by Orihime's quick turnaround, Tatsuki nonetheless decided to let it go. There was a light in Orihime's eyes that she didn't want to see go out by continuing to probe. Rangiku, however, had different plans.

"So, Orihime," Rangiku started, slowing her pace so the healer could catch up. "You and Kurosaki looked pretty cozy at lunch."

Aghast, Orihime's eyes snapped up to the teasing blues before her. "Rangiku-chan!" she blurted, her cheeks immediately flaming.

"She's telling the truth, you know," Rukia admitted. "We all saw you."

Burying her face in her hands, Orihime nervously shook her head. "I-it wasn't like that!"

"Sure looked like it," Rangiku continued to tease, throwing her arm casually over Orihime's shoulders.

"Can't you pick on someone else for a change?" Tatsuki challenged. "Like Kuchiki and Abarai?"

Rangiku sighed with a gentle roll of her eyes. "I can't tease them when they're already so open about it," she grumbled. "Takes all the fun out of it. Although it was fun to harass Renji before."

"You what?" Rukia gasped, her eyes wide as she looked up at the lieutenant.

Grateful the attention was off her, Orihime watched the banter between Rukia and Rangiku with a gentle smile on her face. Even if the soul reapers sometimes threw life into utter chaos, they certainly did keep things interesting…

* * *

Unbeknownst to the girls, the guys were similarly teasing each other as they made their way to the flower shop. The most surprising statement came once they stepped inside the small shop lined wall-to-wall with bouquets, flower arrangements, potted plants, and the like. Inside the air was fresh and clean, floral scents fighting each other for dominance in the small space but without being too overwhelming. Despite this, there was more than a little air of unease when the group of four made their way inside, especially once Sado mumbled the question he'd been dying to have answered.

"So, what if their dress has more than one color?" he ventured, not trying to give anything away but also having to admit his ignorance.

"Then go with the dominant color," Uryu easily answered, without looking at the man.

"Not sure that's the best option," Sado sighed, recalling Tatsuki's dress mostly being black.

Luckily for them, the attendant was well-versed in the common confusion among young males when it came to the necessary arrangements they needed to make for the upcoming dance. She was quiet and sweet, her voice soft as she asked each one in turn what color they were trying to match and showing them options to help each of them pick out the flowers individually. Uryu went first, demonstrating to the others what they needed to do, before Ichigo and Renji followed. Uryu had the least trouble, while Renji and Ichigo struggled only slightly. Renji had Rukia's eyes to go off of, while Ichigo was going from memory, but even so, he felt confident he'd chosen correctly. With Sado's concern, the attendant took a little extra time, showing him multiple choices before he settled on one color for Tatsuki, and one for himself.

While the others were choosing their flowers, Ichigo's eyes caught something on the wall, and although they hadn't exactly discussed it (and Uryu hadn't insisted on it), he knew he had to get it. The beautifully colored orchids were mostly white, but the tips of the petals were a mixture of both blue and a hint of purple; the blue nearly perfectly matching Orihime's pins. Although the colors didn't necessarily go with her dress, they were still too perfect to pass up. _And it's not like she'll be taking them_ into _the dance anyway,_ he silently rationalized. Looking over his shoulder to make sure the others were busy, he called over another attendant with a silent jerk of his head.

"Can I order some of those for next Friday?" he asked, carefully keeping his voice quiet. Kami help him if the others found out what he was doing!

The attendant turned to look at the bouquet behind her, pointing at the orchids before Ichigo quickly nodded. "Of course. How many did you want?"

Ichigo froze. He hadn't thought this far ahead, because he hadn't expected to be buying flowers. "Uh, how much do you usually get?"

It was as though the attendant could read his mind as she gently smiled, leaning onto the counter. Ichigo was too distracted to notice the way she pressed her upper arms together, accenting what amount of cleavage she could show at work, all but batting her eyelashes at him. "For you, one would be enough," she drawled, not even bothering to hide the way her eyes traveled down to his waist and back up. Ichigo simply looked at her blankly, not at all sure what was taking her so damn long. "But guys usually get a dozen," she added a moment later, when Ichigo clearly wasn't picking up on her signals.

Not understanding what was happening (or at least not wanting to), Ichigo gave his answer as quick as he could, trying to get the order over with before the others noticed what he was up to. "Then I'll take a dozen. Can you add it to my other order?"

Beaming a smile, the attendant nodded. "Of course!" She moved around the counter to consult the sheets their other orders had been placed on. "Ichigo Kurosaki, right?"

At the sound of his name, Ichigo realized Renji was watching him with a rather smug look on his face. _Shit!_ "Yeah, that's right."

"Whatcha doing, Kurosaki?" Renji asked, his smile wide as he approached the other counter. Sado and Uryu were thankfully still busy.

"None of your damn business," Ichigo ground out, fighting the embarrassment that wanted to flood his cheeks. _Renji?! Seriously?! Of all people!_

Even though he'd asked, Renji clearly understood what Ichigo was up to, for he immediately placed an order himself for silver roses the color of Rukia's zanpakuto. When Ichigo glowered at him, he clapped him hard on the shoulder. "Oh, come on! I can't have you showing me up, now can I?"

* * *

For the girls, shoe shopping was considerably less stressful than dress shopping. The self-proclaimed expert, Rangiku, took the girls to the best shoe store in the mall and quickly ran down their choices of footwear and the pros and cons of each. Just as they'd done with the dresses, they took the opportunity to try on shoes they would never consider wearing; laughing and giggling as Orihime struggled to walk in four-inch heels (with Tatsuki's help of course), Rukia put on boots that were supposed to go up to her knees but instead went up to her thighs, Rangiku strutted in work boots that looked surprisingly good on her, and Tatsuki dug out a pair of "gladiator" sandals that wrapped around her calf clear up to her knee.

It was as Rangiku strutted up and down the aisle in her boots, clomping rather obnoxiously with her hands on her hips and her lips pursed outward, that Rukia discreetly elbowed Orihime in the side to get her attention, her eyes bright with curiosity when she spoke. "So, Orihime, where did you and Ichigo go yesterday?"

That was it. The dreaded question Orihime had been afraid of. They hadn't done anything wrong (well, except maybe for skipping class). In fact, she felt everything had felt so _right_ , but how would the others take it? Her eyes darted to Tatsuki, who was still trying to tie up her sandals before she answered in a quiet voice. "We went sledding."

Rukia's brows drew down in confusion a moment before a smile broke across her face. "Sledding?! Seriously?! Ichigo?!" she barked, scarcely controlling her laughter.

Pressing her lips into a thin line, Orihime lowered her gaze to her knees, her hair creating a protective curtain around her face. Rukia immediately sensed she'd reacted poorly and gripped her shoulder, still beaming. "Hey, I think it's great."

It was obvious Orihime had to swallow before she could speak when her eyes met Rukia's once more. Even though she'd been laughing and happy a moment before, Rukia could still see the sadness lurking beneath, the storm of uncertainty in her dark depths. "You do?"

"Of course I do! I can't remember the last time that guy has taken it easy, can you?" When Orihime's eyes widened blankly as she thought, Rukia shook her head and answered for her. "The answer's no."

A smile was slowly working its way across Orihime's lips, tugging upward from the corners first. "We did have a really good time," she admitted wistfully, a blush darkening her cheeks as she remembered the rush as they plummeted down the hill, the strength and security of his arms around her, the exhilaration of their snowball fight, and most of all the warmth and closeness she felt when he responded to her wanton embrace before he left.

Beaming, Rukia's eyes flashed. She'd heard (and sensed) Ichigo come home late the previous night but hadn't been able to ask him why; although she did notice his shoes were placed near the radiator and he still wasn't wearing them. At least now she understood. "Obviously! That's great, Orihime!"

Tatsuki found her way to their sides then, an eyebrow cocked curiously as she placed her hands on her hips. "What's great?" she asked, unaware of the way the strappy sandals completely diminished her normally gruff and intimidating appearance.

Under the piercing gaze of her best friend, Orihime immediately flushed red, unable to hide a smile as heat flooded her entire being. Tatsuki was one of the people that was the most important to her, so it was only natural that her opinion mattered the most. Regardless, she somehow found herself unable to answer, her heart hammering anxiously at her ribs as though awaiting judgment.

Sensing the healer's nervousness, Rukia smiled up at Tatsuki before rising to her feet. "Oh, just that Orihime and Ichigo went sledding yesterday when they decided to skip class."

Tatsuki's lip curled up in surprise. "Sledding?" she asked, surprise evident in her voice rather than reprisal.

Memories flooding through her once more, Orihime allowed her eyes to close as she smiled. Warmth curled pleasantly around her heart, making it feel too big for her chest. "Yes, sledding. And we had a snowball fight! And watched a movie!" she exclaimed, finally opening her eyes once more. The faces of the women in front of her were not what she was expecting. Rukia and Tatsuki were staring at her, eyes wide with surprise, and mouths agape, while Rangiku made her way back to them, finally realizing they were not so focused on shoes at the moment.

"A-a snowball fight?!" Tatsuki stammered, having trouble conjuring the image. All she could picture was having snowball fights with Ichigo when they were kids. _Little._ Not _now._

"Watched a movie?" Rukia questioned, her own eyebrow raised skeptically.

 _Okay, so we didn't actually_ watch _the movie,_ Orihime admitted in her mind, but was too uncomfortable to admit out loud. She had a feeling that would be too much for Tatsuki to hear, despite her closeness to Ichigo as well.

"Are you sure you're not dating?" Rangiku blurted, her lips twisted mischievously as she cocked a hip out.

"Rangiku-chan!" Orihime gasped, her hands immediately slapping her cheeks that were suddenly much too warm.

"By the end of all this, they will be," Rukia added, nudging Rangiku in the side so they could share a knowing look.

"N-n-no!" Orihime stammered, burying her face in her hands. "We're going as friends!"

"Right," Rangiku teased, before placing a hand dramatically on her forehead before feigning her knees buckling. "And I'm in love with Uryu!"

Rukia burst out laughing so hard, she would have spit all over the others had she not covered her mouth. Even Tatsuki laughed, dropping an arm on Orihime's shoulder in a show of support as her cheeks continued to flame red. "Come on, Orihime. Let's stop denying it and just pick out some shoes already."

Relieved that Tatsuki always somehow seemed to know how to diffuse a situation, Orihime smiled gratefully at her best friend and nodded, allowing herself to be led away by Tatsuki's strong embrace. "I certainly hope Ichigo is getting just as much grief right now," Rukia quietly admitted, just loud enough that only Rangiku could hear.

Chuckling, Rangiku propped a leg up in order to undo the laces on her boots. "Trust me. If he was, I'm sure we'd _all_ be able to sense it!"

With a final laugh, they returned to shopping with a newfound purpose. It was unanimously decided that Orihime needed to wear flats or risk breaking her neck, and Tatsuki insisted that if she wore anything with a heel, it could only be a slight one, despite Sado's towering height. Rukia was surprisingly comfortable in something with a moderate heel but chose to go with something flatter for the sake of comfort and for what she could find that would match her dress. Even Rangiku, who at first tried on nothing but high heels, eventually went with something flatter so she wouldn't tower over her "date". In the end, their shoes were strikingly similar in height, only differing in appearance.

Even though there was, and would likely still be, snow on the ground, Tatsuki found a pair of strappy black sandals to be the best fit for her dress. After much debate and switching of shoes, Orihime settled on a silver pair of ballerina flats while Rangiku went with a pair of off-white strappy sandals that would wind up her calves, accenting them along with the cut of her dress. Rukia's choice was similar to Orihime's in that she found a pair of black wedges that had just the slightest heel – even though the difference in height between her and Renji would still be striking, no matter what she did.

Satisfied, Rangiku dusted her hands off as though they'd just accomplished a major task. "Ladies, I can't believe we're already done!"

Tatsuki rolled her eyes, already having had more than enough of shopping. "Good. Can we go now?"

Her lower lip sticking out in a pout, Rangiku looked to Rukia and Orihime for support, only to find none. "Oh, come on! There are still so many more places we could go!" she tried.

"Except the guys are probably already done," Rukia argued.

"Awe, who said they had to come back with us?"

"The Captain," Rukia tried reasoning one more time.

For once, Rangiku chose not to argue. They'd already been gone much of the day, and it had been a successful day at that. She couldn't push her luck with the captain when they still had just under a week until the dance… "Fine," she grumbled, following the others as they made their way back to the fountain in the middle of the mall – their agreed-upon meeting spot.

Feeling satisfied and yet not, Orihime watched the others from a slight distance behind as they walked. Tatsuki was seamlessly integrating in with the others, which made her happier than she could even describe.

* * *

 _A/N: First and foremost, this story would be nowhere without all of you following, favoriting, and commenting on it. Your words truly are inspiring and motivating, even if life gets in the way and keeps me from writing, or inspiration lacks. I strive to complete this and keep you loving it because of YOU! So thank you, thank you, thank you! I cannot say it enough!_

 _Second, I hope this turned out better than I feel it did. I've said before I write things in different colors so I can tell if I've changed something or would potentially change something (or maybe I've said that in a different story... Oh well). This was possibly the most colorful one yet in my 'Trouble' series! As always, reviews and comments are always welcome._

 _Regrettably, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo. I just own this story._


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: I just realized my mistake in having the guys order boutonnieres (oops!), so that has been corrected in Chapter 12. Is it obvious how long it's been since I've had to do anything like that? LoL. Sorry for that! Please enjoy this update, and once again I apologize for taking so long. Honestly, I thought I had more to do on this one, turns out I just needed to look up a few things – it was all written. My bad! And as always (and it only grows each time), thank you so much to all of you who have been keeping up with this story. Your comments mean the world to me and always put a smile on my face. I honestly don't know if this story would have ever continued without your kind words! Comments and reviews always welcome!_

* * *

Unsurprisingly, the guys finished well before the girls, and so they found themselves loitering around the fountain where they said they'd meet. The conversation was quiet and sporadic, as each of them were lost in their own thoughts and were actively avoiding giving any of the others ammunition for harassment. Ichigo found himself restless, rolling his shoulders as though preparing for a fight – or at least _wanting_ to. Renji was in much the same boat, not-quite pacing, but not quite able to sit still either. Chad and Uryu were the two that managed to remain calm, watching the soul reapers with curious eyes, even if Chad was more than a little nervous about everything himself.

Before long, an all-too-familiar reiatsu reached them and Ichigo couldn't help but flinch. "Awe, man, what's Hitsugaya doing here?"

Renji glanced at his watch before answering with a shrug. "Guess he got tired of waiting."

Moments later and the Captain of Squad Ten appeared before them, dressed like any other young teen in loose white jeans and a black shirt covered in a black coat. His hair was just as spiky and unruly as ever, his eyes flashing in the bright lights of the mall. One hand was stuffed in the pocket of his coat when he reached them, turquoise eyes flashing. He looked more than a little annoyed.

"Captain Hitsugaya," Renji politely greeted, inclining his head slightly.

"Lieutenant Abarai," Toshiro replied while obviously looking for his own lieutenant. When he didn't see her, he sighed with a barely suppressed eye roll. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised Rangiku still isn't done."

Despite themselves, Ichigo and Renji chuckled. "Nah, she sounded like she wanted to take the girls _everywhere_."

"Damn that woman," Toshiro grumbled, visibly forcing himself to relax. His eyes tracked over the four before him and he raised an eyebrow, cocking his head to the side. "Am I to believe you are all done, then?" he asked, his voice dry as he appeared disinterested. In fact, he truly was curious. He would _never_ admit to it, but the whole idea of a dance seemed rather interesting.

"Of course we are!" Renji bragged. "Our tuxes and flowers are all on order. We're just waiting for the girls."

"Is that all?"

Even Uryu's brow furrowed at the small captain. "What do you mean, 'is that all?' Of course it is!" he retorted, even though the comment hadn't been directed entirely at him. He took his role as leader of this entire escapade rather seriously, all things considered.

Sighing, Toshiro pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "How can I know more about this than any of you? Don't you realize what's most important _before_ the dance?" He hesitated for only a moment, opening his eyes to take in the dumbfounded expressions before him before turning his gaze on Renji. "This is especially important for you, Lieutenant Abarai, if you don't wish to die." Renji appropriately gulped at the statement as chills broke out down his arms. Toshiro's words could only mean it was something Captain Kuchiki would take very seriously. When the others continued to look utterly confused, Toshiro chose to elaborate. "Dinner. You must provide them with dinner."

"What?" Ichigo snapped, his mind immediately reeling with what the hell he was supposed to do for dinner.

"Of course." The captain's silver brows furrowed. "How can you not know this?"

On impulse, Ichigo and Renji turned on the Quincy – the one who said he knew all they needed to know – with accusing glares. "Good question," they grumbled in unison.

Sensing their annoyance, Uryu put both hands up in an attempt to placate the two volatile men before him. "So, I missed something. We still have plenty of time to figure out what to do."

"Do we all go together?" Chad was the one to ask, careful to keep his voice neutral.

 _Damn it. I don't want to go with everyone else,_ Ichigo grumbled inwardly. He wasn't comfortable with the others seeing the side of him that always seemed to emerge around Orihime. At the same time, he admitted that it would take some pressure off of them if they weren't alone… "What do you think, Renji?"

Renji was scratching the back of his neck nervously, his cheeks an unusual shade of pink as he avoided eye contact. "I-I don't know."

Uryu was the one to speak calmly. "We could leave it up to the girls. Though I have a feeling Lieutenant Matsumoto and I won't be dining alone."

"I'll have to ask Rukia," Renji grudgingly admitted. His red eyes fell on Ichigo, noticing the scowl creasing between his brows. "What about you, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo shrugged, honestly lost and not enjoying it one bit. "I have no idea."

"You have no idea about what?" Rukia's clear voice snapped them all back to the present, four sets of eyes snapping up to the girls as though they'd just been caught putting gum under the seats of their chairs.

"Captain!" Rangiku cheered, skipping forward to envelope her captain in her arms, crushing him against her chest. "I didn't expect to see you here today!"

A vein on Toshiro's forehead pulsed as he closed his eyes, folded his arms across his chest, and attempted to forget where he was. Rangiku was always pulling such stunts – it was nothing new to either of them – and the same was true for her methods of embarrassing the smaller and younger man. "I wasn't planning to be here, either," he grumbled just before she released him.

"What were you guys all talking about?" Rukia asked, stepping forward to stand at Renji's side. She'd witnessed their looks of consternation. "Looked pretty serious."

Ichigo swallowed as his eyes skimmed over a very happy looking Orihime. Her happiness immediately made him happy, his heart swelling in his chest when she smiled at him. His lips twitched in an attempt to smile back, but he managed to keep the movement minimal, considering their surroundings. Although he normally wouldn't pay attention, he noticed she was now carrying two bags – so the shopping trip was a success. "Hitsugaya here just brought up a good question," he offered.

Four sets of eyes looked at him expectantly, but it was too embarrassing to talk about. He couldn't be the one to bring up their expectations for dinner. That wasn't something he did, or at least not something he did in front of others.

"Would you guys like us to all go out to dinner together? Or alone?" Uryu finally broached the question in his typical fashion – straight to the point with no beating around the bush. Since he was the one not attempting to hide any feelings from his date or the others, he wasn't burdened by the discomfort and nervousness that the others were.

"Dinner?" Orihime and Tatsuki asked in near unison, risking a glance at each other before looking back at the guys. Orihime's heart immediately skipped a beat at the thought of getting to spend yet another meal with Ichigo. It was something that was happening more frequently of late, and she certainly wasn't going to tire of it anytime soon. Regardless, she wasn't sure she had any idea what they were talking about.

Since no one else showed any sign of answering, Uryu pushed his glasses up his nose before saying, "Yes. Apparently, we are supposed to do dinner before the dance." He chose to leave out the part that they had to be reminded of such by Squad Ten's captain, even though Ichigo had already admitted as much.

"Oh! Dinner!" Rangiku exclaimed, her blue eyes sparkling as she jumped happily. "Let's all eat together!" she cheered a moment later, her eyes quickly scanning the group of faces before her. Some looked terrified, some nervous, and some simply confused by her idea.

"That's a great idea, Rangiku!" Orihime praised, her eyes flashing as she avoided looking at Ichigo. She wasn't sure how he felt about it, but the look in his eye when she smiled at him made her stomach twist both pleasantly and in a way that made her wish she hadn't eaten so much at lunch. _How does he feel about this,_ she wondered.

Remaining silent, Tatsuki glanced at Chad out of the corner of her eye, his face remaining as impassive as ever. She wanted to ask him his thoughts, but also felt like he'd go along with whatever everyone else decided. He was sometimes too agreeable that way.

"What do you think, Rukia?" Renji asked, his voice surprisingly soft given their surroundings.

Rukia shrugged, shifting the weight of her bags on her shoulders. "I think it sounds like a good idea." Pointedly looking at Ichigo, who shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, she smiled brightly. "Where should we do this, then?"

Ichigo's mind raced. The soul reapers were either staying with Orihime or Urahara. Urahara couldn't be trusted not to blow their secret in front of Tatsuki, or to keep from crashing the dinner, for that matter. He or Yoruichi were _sure_ to make a scene. Tatsuki's house was small and her parents were gone a lot. Chad didn't like people coming to his place. His own place was perhaps the biggest, but there was no way in hell he could have everyone over – not with his father! Orihime surprised him by piping up, her voice slightly nervous.

"We could all eat at my apartment," she offered. "It's more on the way to school, after all."

"You sure?" Ichigo immediately asked, having an idea that _a lot_ of work would be going into the dinner. Especially if they were going to feed eight people.

Shrugging, Orihime beamed a bright smile at him, her eyes closing with her excitement. "Of course! I've had everyone over to study so often, I know we can do this too!"

"That's fine and all, but you better not be the one cooking for all of us," Tatsuki demanded; not just because of Orihime's strange tastes in food, but because she didn't want her to have to work so hard. Especially not on a night that Orihime was so clearly looking forward to with all her heart.

"Oh, leave that up to the guys," Toshiro volunteered them with a snide grin. "It's their duty, after all." He pointedly looked at Renji, the lieutenant shifting uncomfortably.

Ichigo glowered at the captain while he clearly taunted Renji with a look. The whole arrangement just kept getting worse and worse. How was he supposed to give Orihime her flowers with the others around? He didn't want to do that! How was he supposed to enjoy what could certainly be a wonderful time with Orihime with everyone else around? Was it right to even look at it that way? It probably wasn't fair to her that he wanted to monopolize her time and keep her away from the others, especially since she seemed so excited about having everyone else over. Without his permission, his mind drifted back to the now numerous times he'd had to talk himself out of doing something inappropriate. Then again, was it a good idea to be alone with her at night again?

"Is that it, then?" he asked, the brusqueness of his voice belying his irritation.

"We still need some accessories!" Rangiku cried, her eyes wide as her lower lip stuck out in a soft pout.

"Accessories?" Toshiro immediately argued, glaring up at her much like a parent would glare at an obstinate child. "Rangiku," he started.

Images of flashy jewelry flashed through Orihime's mind the moment Rangiku said 'accessories'. She never put much thought into jewelry – her pins the flashiest thing she ever wore. It wasn't that she didn't like jewelry, she just always had other priorities on her mind, or she was too afraid of breaking something so delicate. Nevertheless, a thrill went through her at the thought of wearing something sparkly and shining for Ichigo. As embarrassing as it was to admit, she wanted to draw his attention as much as she could – the image of Ichigo in a tux in her mind was a strong motivator. She wanted to see that fierce and hungry look in person, even if it wasn't something to wish about a friend. Opening her mouth to agree with the lieutenant, she was interrupted by Rukia.

"That's a wonderful idea!" The normally stoic soul reaper's dark eyes flashed as she smiled. Beside her, Renji closed his eyes in an attempt to suppress an eye roll. Rukia was being abnormally "girly".

"Is it really necessary for us to continue to hang around here while you go shopping?" Uryu finally voiced his annoyance, sensing that none of the others would.

"No. Go home if you like," Rangiku dismissed him with a flick of her hair over her shoulder.

"I don't need you spending all of the money we have here," Toshiro argued, for the moment forgetting that Tatsuki did not know their true origin.

"Oh, come on!" Rangiku argued. _We have plenty!_ Her eyes argued.

"Don't worry Captain Hitsugaya!" Orihime chimed. "We'll keep an eye on her! Promise!"

Toshiro turned his eyes on the healer with surprise evident on his face. He'd always been fond of Orihime. Her honesty and determination were something he could admire, not to mention she'd always been willing to put Rangiku and himself up in her own home more than once. Because of this, he had trouble saying no to the young woman, not that he could let the others know that. He knew of her affections for Ichigo – it was impossible for him not to, given how perceptive he was (even if sometimes he wished he wasn't), and if it was something she wanted, he could forgive his lieutenant so long as she aided Orihime in her quest. Pretending to think about it a moment, Toshiro furrowed his brow before turning away with an annoyed flick of his wrist over his shoulder. "Fine."

"Thank you!" The clear voice was Orihime's and when she pulled him into a hug, he didn't resist, but also didn't hug back. He sensed the subtle flare in Ichigo's reiatsu and couldn't help but smirk, turning his gaze briefly his way once Orihime released him. Ichigo was so focused on glaring at the captain, that he didn't notice Orihime's quiet intake of breath as she looked at him – they'd all felt the change even though it was obvious he was trying to suppress it.

"What about the rest of you? Are you going to stay?" Tatsuki finally asked, her heart beating like a rabbit's as she glanced at Chad.

Even though his reiatsu had returned to normal, his face resuming its typical frown rather than the severe scowl he'd presented the captain, Orihime couldn't help but look to Ichigo at Tatsuki's words. She wanted him to stay so they could spend more time together, but she knew he had no interest in what they were going to be doing. His eyes were dark and hard when he glanced her way, and she could tell his shoulders were tight, but didn't understand why. He was the first one to answer. "Nah. I've got some tr-studying to do." He scarcely recovered, nearly saying 'training' in front of Tatsuki.

"Me too," Renji answered a moment later. Chad quickly followed with the same sentiment.

"Study what?" Tatsuki couldn't help but pry, especially after hearing Ichigo's near slip. She knew he was not going to be 'studying'.

"None of your damn business, all right?" he snapped, feeling like he needed to tear something apart even more. He immediately regretted his words when he saw Orihime flinch slightly out of the corner of his eye. Turning to her, his features softened, unable to maintain his characteristically chilled demeanor in front of her. He wanted to touch her, to find some way to reassure her, but he couldn't do that in front of the others. "We'll talk later, all right?" he nearly whispered. The sounds of the others saying goodbye nearly hid his words from them. Almost.

Her sense of unease immediately dissipating, Orihime smiled softly up at him. "Okay, Kurosaki-kun." When he gently smiled back at her, her heart fluttered, her cheeks warming instantly. _Why does this happen with just a_ look?! _I've got to keep it together!_

Without realizing it, they'd held each other's gazes for longer than they thought, Rangiku's excited call the only thing that drew their attention back from each other. "Come on, Orihime!"

Gasping, Orihime turned from Ichigo so quickly, her hair flared out behind her. "Bye!" she quickly called, running after the other three who had already started back into the mall. She could feel Ichigo's eyes on her until they rounded a corner and disappeared from sight.

"So, training, huh?" Renji wisely asked, elbowing Ichigo in the arm to pull him from his own inner musings. He thought about many things he _could_ say. Many ways he could offend or insult the substitute soul reaper, but for once he held his words. He was finding himself just as frustrated as Ichigo clearly was, even if his reasons were a mystery to him.

"Let's get out of here," Ichigo grumbled, spinning on his heel and pulling his coat up. Yes, training. He needed to work off some frustration before he exploded.

* * *

The moment they arrived in the jewelry store, Orihime was accosted by bright and shiny objects of all shapes, colors, and sizes glittering in the strategically placed overhead lights. Some pieces hung from turning carousels on the counter or as stands. Others were so valuable they were inside the locked cases that lined three of the store's four walls. Without realizing it, she stopped, her feet silently stilling beneath her as her free hand came up to smack her cheek. It was the first time she'd been in such a store. Instantly, the little blue men showed her an image of Ichigo in a tux, holding a small box in his hand. He'd extend it towards her with color in his cheeks, his molten chocolate eyes not leaving hers. Their fingers would brush as she gently took the box from him, feeling lost in the depth of his gaze. When she'd open the lid, the sparkling jewel from within would nearly blind her, and Ichigo would take a step closer, stilling her suddenly trembling hand with his own. It was a necklace, the charm in the shape of a heart, glittering in the light. She'd be speechless, her free hand immediately rising to her chest as though it could still her own wildly beating heart. Ichigo's quiet murmur of, "Let me put it on for you," would only make it worse.

A quiet squeal escaped Orihime's mouth then, heat flushing her face as she could all but feel Ichigo gently brush her hair off the back of her neck, reaching around her from behind to clasp the necklace around her. His fingers brushing her skin would send electric bolts through her, making her shiver pleasantly, especially when his hands would linger, and he'd murmur, "Beautiful," in her ear, close enough she could feel his breath tickling her flushed skin.

"Coming, Orihime?" Rukia asked, peering back over her shoulder to find the healer frozen in place, just inside the door. There was a far-off, distant look in her eyes, and she immediately knew her wild imagination had been getting the better of her. _I'd kill to know what she was just daydreaming!_

From across the store, Tatsuki, who had been drawn forward out of curiosity, looked up from where she had been looking at some earrings hanging on the carousel. She smiled at the shock that crossed Orihime's face, gently shaking her head as she immediately recognized the signs of Orihime being caught with her mind in the clouds. _Wonder what that was all about,_ she pondered.

" _Eep!"_ Orihime squeaked, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Her cheeks darkened even more as she gasped. "Right! Sorry!"

Rukia chuckled as Orihime skipped into the store, her bags clutched protectively in front of her, and returned to perusing herself. For once they were all silent, quietly appreciating the works in front of them and only seeking the thoughts or approval of the others when they found something they were truly interested in. Tatsuki was the first with success, finding a matching set of earrings and a necklace that were simple, yet elegant. A single sparkling diamond (well, cubic zirconium – none of them were made of money) was threaded over a slightly thicker than normal chain. The earrings dangled, a simple matching stone at the end of a similarly thick piece, and surprisingly, a bracelet of matching jewels was strategically placed right below them. Her lips twisting in thought, Tatsuki put the earrings up near her ear, shaking her head. They would move with her, which was new – she rarely wore anything other than posts – but they worked. Or so Orihime's pleased squeal told her.

"Those are perfect, Tatsuki-chan!"

Tatsuki turned a skeptical gaze on her best friend. The day had been strange, to say the least, but she had to admit she was having fun being "girly" with the girls for a change. The fact that Orihime was so clearly enjoying herself only added to the fun. "You really think so?" she asked, only willing to show her uncertainty to Orihime.

"Of course I do!" Orihime cheered, closing Tatsuki's fingers around the jewelry in her hand with a smile.

Tatsuki finally allowed herself to smile back, her eyes light and dancing from the overhead fluorescents. "Then let's find you something."

They had scarcely resumed looking before Orihime gasped, her eyes glued to the piece before her even as her fingertips gently brushed her pins. The matching set closely resembled the ornaments in her hair, although considerably smaller. While her pins were blue, these were cubic zirconium, like Tatsuki's, glittering in the light from overhead. The earrings dangled delicately, the flower petal design catching the light so much Orihime felt like she had to squint. The necklace was almost an exact replica of the earrings, a piece shooting off from the main chain so that the flower pendant would dangle even lower. Orihime's eyes narrowed when she realized it might almost dangle _too_ low, but at the same time, her belly tightened pleasantly at the thought.

"Orihime," Tatsuki breathed, her eyes flicking quickly from Orihime's pins to the jewelry in her hand.

For once, words were eluding the healer, and she simply smiled, clutching the jewelry securely but gently in her hand. Her eyes wavered when she finally turned to her best friend, her thoughts flying just as wildly as the pounding of her heart. But she was happy. There was no mistaking that.

"You two done already?" Rukia asked, making her way over to them with a set of glimmering pieces in her hands. Like Orihime, she found something similar to her own power, the dangling gems similar in appearance to the sash at the end of her zanpakuto. Although no one but them would understand the significance of such aesthetics, it made her feel at peace and at home – like she was complete even if she wasn't carrying her precious sword. The chain was short, in order to accommodate the dangling piece, which was not to the same scale as the earrings, which was perfect given the higher front of her dress. The earrings on the other hand would dangle freely. When she smiled gently at the two before her, she turned to look for the tallest amongst them. "That means we're just waiting on," she started.

Rangiku was across the room, her chin cupped delicately in her hand as she glared down at the display cabinet below her. She was looking in a place no one else had dared to venture – the cost much more than they could logically afford. "Lieutenant," Rukia began as they made their way over to her. The tall woman barely so much as flinched when she heard them approach.

"He'd kill me," she breathed, her eyes wide and enthralled with the piece that held her captive. Her eyes glittered with its reflection in the glass, the stones real as opposed to the "fake" ones the rest had chosen. While simple, the elegance of the necklace she was eying was unmistakable. The delicate chain looked both sturdy, and like it would break if handled incorrectly. The sapphire charm hanging from it shone darkly and yet fiercely in the light, a matching set of sapphire earrings set next to the necklace.

"Yes, he would," Rukia immediately agreed, her eyes falling on the price tag that had a few too many zeroes.

"Awe, you weren't supposed to agree with me!" Rangiku whined.

"Come on, lieutenant, save it for the wedding," Rukia teased, tugging on her arm to pull her away.

"What wedding?" Orihime asked, her brow immediately furrowing. _I never heard anything about a wedding!_

Rukia and Rangiku immediately burst out laughing, Rangiku actually throwing her head back and cackling at the suggestion. Orihime continued in her confusion, her brows drawing down as she looked at the two soul reapers in front of her. Even Tatsuki, beside her, didn't join in on the laughter, but it was only because she was scowling, immediately catching on to their joke. _Oh, hell no!_

Still giggling, Rangiku ruffled Orihime's hair, allowing herself to be led away by the tiny Shinigami at her side. The gentle show of affection only made the healer pout, clearly still missing out on whatever their source of mirth was. "What wedding?!" she cried, her wide and pleading eyes falling on Tatsuki.

Tatsuki would not be the one to put the idea in her friend's head – not if she hadn't already had it herself. So, even though it killed her, she simply shook her head and moved to pay for her purchase. "Just forget about it, Orihime."

Gray eyes watching the two who were quickly engrossed in the turning carousel, holding pieces up to Rangiku before quickly rejecting them, Orihime sighed and stepped up behind Tatsuki. _What wedding?!_

* * *

Kisuke Urahara smiled behind his signature fan, his eyes cast in the ever-present shadow of his green and white striped hat. The shadow hid the mirth in his eyes as he watched the sexually frustrated teenagers take out their aggression on his training arena. At least, he assumed they were there to burn off pent up frustration; for why else would they so fervently attack not only each other, but his well-constructed obstacles as well? Toshiro Hitsugaya, captain of Squad Ten, sat beside him, legs folded under him as he sipped his tea as though this were an everyday occurrence. Even the loud clash of steel, the roar of Zabimaru, and the attacks thrown by Ichigo and Chad did not so much as make him flinch. When the very ground beneath them shuddered, he'd only faintly attempt to hide a smile, the very corners of his lips curling as he otherwise maintained the picture of peace.

"So, this is what's been shaking the whole shop?" Yoruichi deadpanned, appearing from behind Urahara and Toshiro with a blank look on her face.

"Care to join us?" Kisuke asked, his one visible eye all but glowing mischievously.

Without answering Kisuke's question, Yoruichi sauntered over to his chair and leaned against it, obvious proof that she was going to join them. Her eyes were on the four below, her elbow resting on the back of his seat. "What's got their panties in a bunch?"

"Women," Toshiro announced, his eyes finally opening to look up at the former captain of Squad Two. He maintained the deadpan expression only as long as Yoruichi managed to maintain her look of surprise. The moment she burst out laughing, his smile cracked.

"Women! Ha!" Yoruichi cackled, throwing her head back so that her long hair grazed her backside. When Kisuke didn't argue, she stopped laughing, her eyes dropping to the man below her. "Wait, seriously?"

Kisuke smiled, batting his fan mischievously just so it allowed flashes of his teeth. If Yoruichi were in cat form, he'd be stroking her back while she sat on his lap, but alas, she was not. "Seriously," he drawled, moving his gaze back to the battle below. The four had not so much as paused, even with Yoruichi's cackling laughter. It was not such an unusual sound, especially when the lady was around Kisuke, which was often.

"Who would have thought some little dance would get them so riled up," Yoruichi pondered as she moved from her position to sit on the ground beside him. Every movement was the picture of grace, pulling Kisuke's eyes from the four battling teens below to her back just long enough for her to rest her elbow beside his knee.

"Maybe," he admitted. "But I haven't seen them this motivated in a long time."

"Motivated? Or just full of hormones?" Yoruichi teased, tossing her head back to look at him upside-down.

His hidden smile no longer hidden, Kisuke chuckled, the sound overpowered by the massive explosion from below as Ichigo's _Getsuga Tensho_ overpowered Uryu's reishi attack, sending the Quincy flying into the plateau they were observing from. Not even bothering to get up, Kisuke barely glanced over the edge of their observation post, shrugging when he saw nothing but dust. Ichigo was already fending off Renji, the flaming red head already in his Bankai. "Perhaps both," he teased.

Yoruichi shrugged, her light eyes dancing as Zabimaru let loose a blast of red light, forcing Ichigo into his Bankai to keep from being injured. "Men," she grumbled, even though she was smiling.

* * *

The small squadron of girls was barely halfway to the mall entrance, their shopping complete, when Rangiku stopped, her mouth falling open in surprise at her negligence. At the same time, she was happy. "Oh!" she exclaimed, spinning around to look at the three just slightly behind her with wide eyes. Regardless, they sparkled with mirth at her realization. They _weren't_ done! "I forgot!"

Tatsuki had had enough of shopping and the tall soul reaper's words did not bring her any sense of relief as she crossed her arms. It was bad enough they'd had to go look for jewelry – something she rarely, if ever, wore. Even though she'd found the perfect items, she was worn out. She'd had it. "Forgot what?" she snapped.

"Flowers!"

"Isn't that _their_ job?" Rukia asked, not understanding where Rangiku was going as she looked up at the woman in confusion.

"Not just flowers! It's flowers for _them!_ "

"They get flowers?" Orihime asked, truly confused as her brow furrowed and she looked at each of them in turn. "Why do they get flowers?" What kind of flowers was she supposed to get Ichigo?! She could only imagine what he would think, what he would _do_ if she presented him with a bouquet of flowers. Their evening would be over before it even began!

"No, no, no." Rangiku shook her head and cocked her hip out, clearly determined to not only get her point across, but get the flowers she was talking about. "They buy us a corsage, we buy them a boutonniere. It's customary!"

"We do?" Tatsuki and Orihime asked in unison, eyes wide as they looked at each other. "What do we do with them?" Tatsuki asked when Orihime remained silent.

Rangiku smiled smugly as she tossed her hair back over her shoulder. She knew at least two of them would be flustered by the idea, and the other would simply have a hard time getting it where it needed to go. It was a sight she couldn't wait to behold, and record of course. "We pin them to their jackets, right above their heart!" she beamed, the image already playing through in her mind. The others did not seem anywhere near as excited. Confused would be a more adequate description, as they looked at her with furrowed brows.

Rukia was the one to break the stunned silence. Although she wouldn't admit it, she was finding the whole adventure amusing to say the least. She was enjoying the newfound closeness between Renji and herself, not to mention Ichigo's discomfort over the _entire_ thing. Even so, she was proud of him for coming as far as he had, and she couldn't wait to see how things would continue to progress between the substitute soul reaper and the healer he so obviously cared for. "Where do we go for them?"

"If we try the same place the guys went to, we can just order them in the same color they did, to make sure they match," Rangiku easily answered, already pulling her phone out to ask Uryu where they went until she realized she didn't have his number.

One step ahead of the lieutenant, Rukia pulled her phone from her pocket and texted Renji. Although he asked why she needed to know, he gave her the location and they set off once more.

* * *

Done texting Rukia, Renji stared at his phone as Zabimaru coiled lazily around him. His attire was in shambles, the pink cowl that draped over his shoulder in his Bankai tattered and smoldering. Beside him, Ichigo was not much better off, half his kosode torn off by Zabimaru, while his leg dripped blood from a lucky shot of Uryu's. Both of them were breathing heavily, their faces smudged with dirt and sweat. Uryu and Chad fared little better, their chests heaving and sweat dripping from their brows.

"What was that about?" Ichigo ground out, annoyed by the interruption, even if his muscles were protesting the abuse.

"Apparently they have to get us flowers?" Renji asked, his eyes flicking up to Uryu's, who to his dismay, smiled. "What the fuck are you smiling about?" Renji immediately snapped, his reaction far exceeding the insult. "Why are they getting _us_ flowers?!"

"You never said we'd be wearing flowers," Chad added.

Uryu pushed his glasses up his nose with his middle finger, light reflecting off their lenses. "Oh, you poor heathens."

Having enough, and already irritated beyond all reason, Ichigo dropped into a crouch, his hands shifting into a ready position on Zangetsu's grip. "What's that?" he growled.

Not intimidated in the least, Uryu reached behind him, grabbing one of the silver tubes that dangled from his belt. Before he could do anything, Chad surprised them all with his quiet words. "I think Ishida should be fired from his advisory position."

Ichigo smirked, his eyes flashing dangerously as a dark red and black aura appeared, swirling around him like a dark shadow as his reiatsu flared – he was still in his Bankai. "Right. How many times have you messed up now, Ishida?"

Renji was the last to join in, a sneer crossing his lips as he whipped Zabimaru around, the long snake-like zanpakuto coiling threateningly around all of them as she hissed. "Enough is enough."

"I agree," Uryu snapped right back, pulling his hand out from behind him and firing arrows at all of them at the same time the other three pounced.

Hours passed before the four teenage boys all but collapsed, chests heaving, sweat pouring from their bodies, clothes in shambles. Yoruichi had gotten bored and moved on, while Toshiro and Kisuke watched, occasionally getting fresh tea from Ururu. It wasn't until it was clear their energy was spent that they left, leaving the four to ponder just what drove them to such frustrations in the first place. None of them wanted to talk about it.

* * *

 _Ah! There you have it! I hope it was worth the wait... I can't believe it took me so long to get this out there, AGAIN! Thanks again for reading and following this story! I'm working away at the next chapter before my work schedule gets a little crazy again, so **hopefully**_ _it won't be so long before the next update, but I can't make any promises._

 _As always, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters - they all belong to Tite Kubo._


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: This chapter had a little of, I know Point A and Point C, but I need get to Point B first – if that makes any sense, lol. I want to sincerely apologize for the delay in getting this out. Many reasons for this, but such is life. That said, I hope you enjoy! This turned out WAY longer than I was thinking it would, so as tends to happen thanks to DeviantArt, this is split – so enjoy a two chapter update! Hopefully that can make up for some of the delay!_

 _As always, a HUGE shout out to all of you who favorited and followed this story. And those of you who review just rock my world! I hope I got all of you, but suzaanoelofse, . , JimmyLane, Rainy Jaded Meadows, WestOfTheGlass, Veraozao, Mishkin, IchimayxD, cici, nightwish635, vquinn22, Carefreeberry, PrismRootStarlight, kalmaegi, 50ShadesOfAwkward, daianapotter, TheWolf87, pythagore29, BrutalxRambo, Bla, and Pain - I cannot even explain how happy I get reading your words, so please keep them coming!_

* * *

It was late in the afternoon by the time the girls left the mall, getting pulled into shopping for "pretty little underthings" before they were able to leave. Tatsuki and Orihime had been mortified, wearing matching expressions of shock at Rangiku's proclamation of their final destination, but had gone along nonetheless, mouths open and eyes wide once they stepped foot into the store that previously the two had only walked past.

"Don't tell me you've never been here before?!" Rangiku chided, spinning happily on her toes to look at the terrified teenagers behind her. Tatsuki and Orihime were grasping onto each other's arms, but still looking around them in awe, with more than a little added color to their cheeks.

"W-why would we shop here?!" Tatsuki retorted, resorting to harsh responses in her embarrassment. She was more like Ichigo in that moment than she cared to admit.

The sly smile that wormed across Rangiku's face should have made Orihime scared. Instead, it piqued her interest as she cautiously stepped forward, her eyes on a lacy bra very similar in color to her dress. The idea of wearing something so _sexy_ made her heart flutter pleasantly. It's not like she'd never worn pretty underwear before, finding things that were both flattering and potentially alluring, she'd just never picked them out under such circumstances before, with a particular person in mind as she chose them. _Wait, what am I thinking?!_ She all but threw the bra down in shock of her own thoughts, her cheeks flaming as she slapped them to calm herself down.

"It's not like anyone is going to be _seeing_ your underwear, Arisawa," Rukia attempted to comfort the nervous martial arts expert. "But it _will_ complete the outfit and experience. You don't want your bra showing beneath your dress, do you?"

Rukia's words rang true. With a single shoulder dress, Tatsuki _did_ have to find something that wouldn't be visible. Orihime faced the same problem with her practically backless dress. "Fine," she snorted, finally moving forward to peruse the lingerie before her with heat in her cheeks. She would never admit it, but she was secretly just as nervously excited about the prospect of buying "sexy little things" as Orihime – not that she wanted to dwell on such thoughts.

By the time they left the store and checked their messages, Rangiku burst out laughing. Toshiro had fed her a steady update on the guys, along with the occasional photo of their battles below. She nearly turned her phone to show everyone until she caught sight of Tatsuki's dark, spiky hair beside her. A pout puckered her pink lips as she realized just how unfair it was to have to hide things from her, when she clearly already knew so much. Regardless, she couldn't so openly disregard the rules of the Soul Society. "A-anyone hear from the guys?" she finally asked, an eyebrow quirked.

Orihime was quiet. It wasn't exactly like she expected Ichigo to text her, but she had been hoping he would. They'd been sharing more small conversations via text message lately, enough so that it was becoming a quiet comfort, a habit that she didn't want to break. But there had been nothing on her end, her phone quiet and still in her pocket. Tatsuki was the one to bluntly admit, "Sado doesn't even _have_ my number, so no."

The three others looked at her in befuddlement before bursting into giggles. "Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime teased, elbowing her best friend in the side before looping her arm through hers. Tatsuki allowed it, her cheeks darkening even as she fought a smile.

"Oh! I have an idea!" Rangiku suddenly cheered, spinning around on her toes to face the others once more. She was easily graceful, constantly in control, something Orihime wanted to envy her for, but stubbornly wouldn't let herself. She wasn't one to allow such dark feelings and emotions to dwell within her, except apparently when it came to Ichigo. Shame still burned deep within her heart when she realized she'd been _jealous_ of Rukia's relationship with Ichigo. The pure elation that had run through her upon finding out her assumptions were wrong was all that made up for it.

"What?" Rukia asked, looking up from her phone. Other than to complain and question why they needed flowers, Renji hadn't messaged her either. _Just what_ have _they been up to,_ she wondered.

"Let's invite them all over to watch a movie!"

Tatsuki was the only one to look confused. The others burst into wide grins, Orihime's heart picking up speed at the thought of watching _another_ movie with Ichigo. Or would it count as the first, considering they both fell asleep last time? "Where?" Tatsuki asked, not letting any emotion show on her face other than skepticism.

"Orihime's, of course!" Rangiku answered as if it made all the sense in the world.

"That okay with you, Orihime?" Tatsuki was the only one polite enough to ask.

"Of course it is!" Orihime beamed, her smile wide and brilliant in the westering sun.

"Then get them over there!" Rangiku teased, hitting Orihime's hip with her own before they resumed their trek.

* * *

Just over an hour later and Orihime's apartment was once more packed with her friends. Since only Rukia and Renji were an official couple, Captain Hitsugaya joined the guys, bringing the grand total to nine. Once the "movie night" was official, Orihime and the girls quickly deposited their purchases in her bedroom, hanging up their dresses to prevent any creases, and closing the door to keep the boys out. With little time to spare, they cleaned up what little needed cleaned, rearranged some furniture to make room for everyone, and set to work preparing snacks – Orihime all but banned from her own kitchen in the process. The others were hard at work, preparing finger foods of all kinds, when a solid knock on her door alerted her to the others' presence.

For some reason, nerves took root in Orihime's belly and she glanced toward the kitchen, where the other three hardly reacted to the sound of the door, before turning to answer it. When she pulled it open, she was greeted by Toshiro, standing at the front with his arms folded across his chest, and Renji and Ichigo rough-housing behind him, while Uryu and Chad attempted to keep them from falling off the porch. "Hi!" she beamed, her confusion at seeing Ichigo and Renji fighting clear in her puzzled expression, despite her smile.

Completely deadpanned, Toshiro stepped inside. "Apparently they didn't work off enough steam in the training grounds," he stated, as though it explained everything, when in fact it only added to her confusion.

Uryu pushed past the wrestling soul reapers, rolling his eyes before smiling at Orihime. "Still think it's a good idea to have all of us over?" he teased, immediately moving into the kitchen to help out the others.

Chad shrugged as he shouldered his way past the final two, giving Orihime an apologetic look, and leaving her standing there, holding the door open, while Renji and Ichigo seemed to have no idea of her presence. "Ahem!" she cleared her throat loudly, warmth rising in her cheeks the moment Renji and Ichigo stopped, bent forward with both their heads locked in the other's arms, and looked at her as though surprised she was there.

"Inoue-san!" Renji beamed, purposefully squeezing Ichigo's neck so much so that he choked.

"Did I miss something?" she asked quietly, her brows knitted as Ichigo finally wriggled free from Renji's grasp and shoved him away with a harsh elbow in the side. In truth, they'd been haggling each other, Renji finally outing his plan to give her flowers in front of everyone on their way over. There was really no rhyme or reason to it (not that one was truly needed in their case), except perhaps Renji's overly good mood since he and Rukia became an official thing, and his love for watching the substitute soul reaper squirm.

"Nope," Ichigo answered, rolling his shoulders and straightening his coat as Renji made his way inside. "Just Renji being an ass, like usual."

"I heard that!" Renji argued from inside, flipping him off from over his shoulder, but he was already heading to the kitchen. None of them had eaten since their rigorous training, and they were all hungry. Thankfully, at least they had all showered and changed.

Noticing Ichigo's damp hair, his unruly spikes still and frozen from the cold, Orihime frowned in confusion. Even as he stepped inside beside her, kicking out of his shoes and grimacing, Orihime found her eyes glued to him, curious about what had happened since leaving the mall and wondering if she needed to _heal_ him based on his movements. Rather than ask and risk embarrassing him, Orihime turned away before Ichigo could notice her lingering gaze, joining the others in the packed kitchen; or rather, leaning against the archway that led to the kitchen – they wouldn't let her in. Her belly flipped nervously when Ichigo came to stand right beside her, watching the happenings in the kitchen without trying to enter.

"So, what did you guys do all afternoon?" Orihime asked, having still not seen the photos Toshiro sent Rangiku.

Keeping his voice low, Ichigo dropped his head closer to hers, his eyes on Tatsuki. It was just as hard to keep things from her now as it was in the beginning, if not more so given her recent involvement. "Trained," he answered lamely.

"Is that why your hair's frozen?" she asked, turning to look up at him with a smile only to gasp when she realized how close he was. He was so close they were nearly touching, the heat from his body radiating to her own.

"My hair isn't frozen," he argued, his brow furrowed in mock astonishment at her words.

Her surprise immediately dissipating at his teasing, Orihime reached up to pat the mass of unruly orange hair on top of his head with her palm, the ends still cold and hard when she touched them as though they would stab her if she applied too much pressure. Ichigo simply grinned when she pulled her hand back as though wounded, his hair making an odd creaking sound beneath her touch, even as it was 'melting'. "See?"

The way her lips twisted to the side, her shoulders wiggling with her confidence, made Ichigo's smile appear all too easily. He'd been surprised when she reached up to touch him but hadn't been disappointed – he was growing to enjoy their newfound closeness, the ease with which they touched as their embarrassment and shyness shrank with each passing day. "Better frozen hair than a house full of stinky guys," he finally admitted, reaching up to run his fingers through his rapidly softening hair.

The way Ichigo ruffled his hair immediately brought back an image she'd had the previous night, of Ichigo in naught but a towel, running a hand through his hair. It was enough to steal her thoughts, forgetting what she wanted to say when for once a sharp retort had been on the tip of her tongue. The hand she had been lowering from his hair fell limply against her chest as she fought to restrain her wildly accelerating thoughts, and when she said nothing, just simply stared at him with wide eyes, Ichigo nudged her with his elbow, his dark eyes glinting mischievously even if he had no clue what she had just been thinking about, or why color was suddenly rising in her cheeks.

"I'm surprised Urahara's shop is still standing," he admitted when her eyes finally regained their focus.

"Did you _have_ to beat the hell out of each other?!" Rukia's loud voice interrupted their quiet conversation. She'd smacked Renji in the chest and he'd flinched – and not because she hit him _that_ hard.

"Hey!" Renji argued. "It wasn't just me! We're _all_ walking on Bambi legs here, am I wrong?"

Chad grumbled in agreement, while Uryu nodded quietly, his dark hair hiding the heat in his cheeks. Ichigo was the stoic one, his lips twisted to the side as he folded his arms across his chest – arms that protested the movement. Although he had been training in Shinigami form, his soul had taken the brunt of his exertions as well, which translated into a physical body that was still obviously battered, sore, and _tired_ – an unfortunate side effect of his substitute soul reaper abilities that he had been less than pleased to discover. Thankfully, Renji was suffering the same fate, his gigai transferring the aches and pains his soul experienced.

"Oh! So, by studying, you meant working out?" Tatsuki asked, folding her arms across her chest as she glared at Ichigo. She'd known full well they wouldn't be studying, but the fact that he continued to attempt to lie to her still rubbed her the wrong way. She wanted to shake him, slap him, and hug him all at the same time – because even though she hated it, she understood why he did it – and it made her love for her friend grow that much stronger.

"Uh," Ichigo floundered under her piercing gaze, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he tried to think of an excuse.

"Turns out no one wanted to study," Uryu was the one to bail him out, turning around with a tray loaded down with precisely placed meats, cheeses, and crackers, with grapes placed symmetrically throughout.

Tatsuki's eyes still burned into Ichigo's, even as she angrily snatched a bowl of popcorn off the counter. "Right."

"What movie are we going to watch?"

Toshiro was the one to pull them back from the brink, his thoughts as calm and collected as ever, despite the argument brewing in the kitchen. He'd sensed the growing unease, and although he was part of the reason Ichigo was not allowed to tell Tatsuki about the Soul Society, he still felt for him having to lie. Orihime saw his question for what it was – a distraction – and immediately headed into the living room. Relief flooded through her when the others followed, all talk of training forgotten as they focused on movies.

"I want something scary!" Rukia cheered, bounding into the living room with as much energy as the Chappy she was so in love with.

"Of course you do. You want to cuddle!" Rangiku teased, holding her clasped hands up toward her chin and batting her eyes to mock the new couple.

"Anything girly is out," Renji demanded, situating himself on the floor next to the couch.

"Awe, come on!" Rangiku argued, earning her jeers from every guy in attendance, even as she flopped unceremoniously onto the couch.

As everyone found places to sit, somehow couples broke off. Renji and Rukia sat on the floor at the far side of the couch – Rukia settling easily between Renji's legs and leaning back against him. Toshiro took a lone chair near the window, not wanting to be anywhere near the high school angst in front of him. The remaining guys tried to be gentlemen, and insist that the girls take the couch, but Orihime would have none of it. In the end, the floor was more popular than the couch – Uryu and Rangiku the only two to take the option so readily available, even if they made it a point not to sit close to one another. Chad and Tatsuki found themselves on the floor in front of the couch, but between the other two. They may as well have sat on the couch, but the food was closer this way, much to Uryu's chagrin, and there was more room. This left Ichigo and Orihime to take up seats on the floor between the couch and the kitchen. While Orihime initially toyed with the idea of sitting in the shadow of the couch, she didn't want to give any wrong impressions, or risk Ichigo not joining her. In the end, she'd chosen her spot first, and was pleasantly surprised when he sat close by. He smiled at her as he lowered himself to the floor, carefully setting a bowl of popcorn ( _when did he grab that?!_ )and two canned drinks that he'd somehow acquired from Chad between them. Even though the room was dark to simulate a theatre, he didn't miss the color splashing her cheeks when he smiled at her, and it made his chest ache.

"Wait, you did _not_ just choose our movie, Captain!" Rangiku whined, realizing what he had been doing in front of the TV.

"Was anyone else going to?" he argued back, his eyes flashing in warning at his subordinate.

In the end, they watched what was supposed to be a thriller, Toshiro inputting the information needed to rent the movie with ease. None of the superhero movies were appealing given the crazy ins and outs of their daily lives, and Toshiro was not about to pick a romantic comedy such as Rangiku wanted. Conversation and banter slowly died down as the previews came on, and soon the only sound was the munching of snacks and the occasional clink of ice in their cups or popping of cans.

While the movie wasn't necessarily _scary,_ it had its jumps and more than enough tension to keep the girls on their toes, even the unshakable Rukia. But as the movie progressed, fatigue from their afternoon of exertion clearly began taking its toll on the guys. Renji was sound asleep, his head leaning against the vacant arm of the couch, his mouth hanging open even though his arms were still loosely wrapped around Rukia, who sat between his legs in front of him, watching the movie with rapt interest. She would occasionally jump and grab his leg, but the fiery red head didn't so much as flinch. Chad leaned heavily back against the couch, his ankles crossed lazily, as he snacked more than anyone had ever seen him – both to replenish his used-up calories and to keep himself awake. Beside him, Tatsuki did her best to keep on a brave face despite jumping more than once herself. Uryu rested his elbow on the arm of the couch, his head cradled in his hand as his eyes drooped, but he fought the urge to fall asleep by drinking – he was on his third cup of tea. Ichigo leaned heavily on his hand, stretched out behind him to support his weight with his legs spread out in front of him. He wanted to lay down, but he knew the moment he did that, he'd be done for. Sitting up much straighter would anger his legs, and so he chose to lean toward Orihime, who was leaning toward him as well, though whether she realized it or not was up to debate. She too, jumped more than once, as well as letting out the occasional quiet squeal – the motions and sounds drawing hints of a smile from Ichigo's lips. Toshiro was the only guy present fully absorbed in the movie, having not seen it before and not working himself nearly to death mere hours before. Even so, he was blissfully aware of the plight of the others. It took an effort not to smirk, even if he noticed Rangiku wasn't bothering to hide it.

The villain had just jumped out of the darkness, bashing one of the main characters in the face and causing the others on screen to scream. Orihime bit her lip to keep from making a sound, even though she was well aware of the way the other females in the room also jolted. She was notoriously _bad_ with scary or jumpy movies – something few people knew, if perhaps only Tatsuki.

Not able to stand the silent look of agony on Orihime's face anymore, Ichigo took a leap and gently brushed the back of her hand with his fingertips in an attempt to get her attention. It did, just not how he intended. The feather-like touch on the back of her hand startled her just as much as if a spider walked across her skin and she jumped, squealing quietly even as she clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle it.

Ichigo was shocked into silence, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open – the comforting words he'd intended to say dying in his throat. When her startlingly wide eyes turned toward him, her hair swinging wide over her shoulder with the sudden movement, the shock on his face caused her to drop her eyes to her hand, only to just see his hand retract, his fingers curling into a fist as he immediately leaned away and used the new fist to scratch at his cheek.

' _ **Smooth,'**_ his hollow taunted, causing his cheeks to burn brilliantly.

"Uh," he stuttered, all thoughts of what he'd meant to say gone out the window. His situation was only made worse by the way Orihime stared at her hand on the floor a moment before sitting up straighter, her free hand now stifling a quiet giggle. Both of them were vaguely aware that her hand slid closer to him on the floor when she sat up.

"Kurosaki-kun!" she breathed, the fear in her eyes gradually transforming into mirth as she smiled.

"Sorry!" he hissed in a quiet whisper, his eyes darting to the others. Thankfully no one had looked their way, at least not that he'd noticed. When they continued to look at each other, the air gradually grew more tense between them. The light from the TV reflected in Orihime's stormy eyes, making it nearly impossible for Ichigo to look away – not that he wanted to anyway. It was when she nervously brushed her hair behind her ear that he remembered just what he had been intending to do before nearly scaring her half to death. "I'm getting really stiff sitting here," he whispered, leaning closer to her once more in an effort to keep the others from overhearing. "You want to come outside with me?"

It was Orihime's turn to have her mouth fall open, her eyes flicking back and forth between Ichigo's in her confusion. _Is he seriously inviting me outside?_ Although she suspected he was just telling her the honest truth, something deep within her stirred at his question, something that had her nodding her head before she even knew what she was doing.

The moment Orihime nodded, Ichigo felt like grinning. It wasn't like they were going on a date, or sneaking off for alone time (right?), but for some reason the way she'd immediately nodded in response to his question had set his heart racing off like a jackhammer. And then he realized he had to actually _get up_ off the floor, and he flinched, painfully drawing his legs up and shoving himself into a squat before he could slowly and awkwardly rise. The moment he was on his feet, he turned to offer Orihime a hand up, hauling her easily to her feet even though his muscles screamed in protest.

"Wait a minute, where are you two going?" Rukia interjected, her eyes dark but sharp from across the room.

"Outside," Ichigo deadpanned, but his eyes flashed a warning. He was actually surprised Tatsuki hadn't said anything, until he noticed her head drooped onto Chad's shoulder, her eyes peacefully closed.

Rather than push for more information, Rukia shrugged and settled herself more comfortably against Renji's chest. He mumbled something in his sleep, his grip momentarily tightening around her middle, before drifting off once more. The others barely paid them any mind as they quickly put on their coats and shoes and stepped outside.

* * *

It was snowing. That was the first thing Ichigo noticed as Orihime stepped through the door in front of him. She'd put on the same white coat and hat she'd worn when they went sledding, her hair blowing in the gentle breeze, even as she pulled her hat down lower over her ears. The sun was mostly set, her coat and hat standing in stark contrast to the descending darkness around them, but it was as though his senses were in overdrive and he could see each and every snowflake that landed in the auburn mass of her hair. Just looking at her took his breath away, but he managed to step across the threshold and close the door as though nothing was amiss.

"It's snowing!" Orihime chimed, holding her bare hands out to catch snowflakes in them as she bounced around to face Ichigo. When she raised her eyes to meet his, her breath caught in her throat at the way he was looking at her.

The light from the snow was reflecting in his molten chocolate eyes, but the characteristic hardness that was so typical of his expression was gone. In its place was something else, something she couldn't quite explain, but knew she wanted to keep seeing. His features were soft, relaxed even, but his eyes shone as though he were looking for something more. Just what that was, was a mystery to her, but it reminded her of the way he'd looked at her just the previous day, when she'd slipped at the top of the steps and he'd caught her. It was a look she wanted to see more often.

When Ichigo said nothing, just smiled gently at her and stepped against the railing, she turned to mimic him, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "You didn't come out here because you were stiff, did you?" she asked quietly.

Laughing softly through his nose, Ichigo held his hand out to catch a few snowflakes, carefully avoiding eye contact. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Kurosaki-kun!" she chastised.

He shrugged his shoulders, his smile only growing wider at her exasperation. "What? I _am_ stiff!"

"But," she pushed, raising an eyebrow as she looked up at him. She would have been surprised to know she looked like she was glaring, her brows knitted as she all but stamped her foot to get her way.

"But," he breathed, bending down despite his body's protests to scoop up a handful of snow. "I could see you weren't really enjoying the movie," he admitted, loosely packing the snow in his hand.

"You didn't have to-" she started, just before he tossed the snow at her. It hit just below the hollow of her throat, the snow immediately breaking apart and spilling down the front of her coat and inside her shirt – she hadn't zipped it up all the way. "Ah!" she wailed, jumping and immediately pulling at her clothes while Ichigo cackled. "And here I thought you were being a gentleman!" she cried, finally unzipping her coat to pull her shirt away from her skin in order to allow the rapidly melting snow to continue its trek down her abdomen.

Still laughing, Ichigo shook his head, trying to get the image of her pulling her shirt away from progressing into something more. "Guess you should know better."

Once the snow was out of her shirt, Orihime heaved a sigh of relief, closing her eyes and dropping her head back dramatically as she allowed a mock annoyed groan to slip past her lips. When she brought her eyes back to meet his, they flashed mischievously, something Ichigo had been aiming for with his sneak attack – it was the look she had during their snowball fight. "Guess I should," she admitted. She loved seeing Ichigo like this, happy and carefree. Just as she felt after sledding and their snowball fight, she felt honored he chose to show this side of himself to her, and yet it only enamored her even more…

Feeling brave, she took a step forward, moving to stand beside him. While he faced the yard and trees away from her porch, she turned to face the front door. Although she'd never admit it, she wanted to know if their friends were trying to sneak up on them. "Even so," she started, bending down to scoop up some snow before nudging him with her hip to get his attention. "Thank you."

Ichigo turned to look at her, tilting his head slightly so he could see the pleased expression on her face as she met his gaze. She'd bumped him with her hip, but left it just barely touching him, the sensation more akin to their coats touching than anything, but it was something, and he latched onto it, gripping the railing in order to keep himself from pulling her closer. "You're welcome," he breathed, any cleverer words failing him as their breath plumed between them, mixing into the same cloud before drifting away.

The moment was broken the second Orihime's lips cracked into a grin and she jumped up, tugging his coat back and throwing the lump of snow she'd held in her hands down the back of his coat. She was fortunate enough that she'd managed to grab both his coat and his shirt, and so the frozen water hit his flesh (much as he'd done to her), and he jumped, grunting as he frantically tried to shake the snow loose. "Inoue!" he cried, partially bent over backwards in his attempt to free himself of the offending clump of snow.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold!" she blurted, giggling as he danced around until the snow had finally fully melted – he hadn't been able to get rid of it as easily as she had.

His abs screaming, Ichigo bent forward, but the moment the snow no longer felt cold, he stood up, a devilish leer on his face that made a jolt of heat flash through Orihime's body from her head to her toes. "Watch it, it's starting to sound like you _want_ a rematch of yesterday," he warned.

It was the first time they'd truly brought up their fun-filled afternoon together, to each other. To Orihime's surprise and relief, nothing but mischief and excitement could be seen lurking in Ichigo's eyes, much as she suspected they were in hers. If it weren't for the presence of their friends, she would take him on right then and there, and she suspected he felt the same. Unless… "Maybe I do," she jeered, twisting her body side-to-side out of nervousness.

His eyebrow quirked, Ichigo didn't miss the playful way Orihime fidgeted in front of him, nor the color blossoming in her cheeks that he was beginning to think was not just from the cold. Even as he leaned against the railing that had so harshly hit his back to stop their fall the previous night, he couldn't help but feel a change in the air around them. This was no longer just friendly banter, was it? _Is this what flirting's like,_ he wondered, while hating the fact that he was _wondering_ in the first place.

Orihime answered his question for him when she placed her index finger to her cheek, pretending to look at the ever-darkening sky in thought before pointing at him. "Oh, wait, but that wouldn't be fair. You've got such a _handicap_ this time around with your _soreness_." She placed special emphasis on the words she knew would rile him up the most, the heated air between them giving her more courage than normal.

His mouth falling open, Ichigo nonetheless took a firm step forward, his knees bending and feet sliding apart in preparation. "Who are you and what have you done with Inoue?"

She chose to take his words as a compliment, rising onto the balls of her feet in preparation as she took in the change in his posture with a satisfying thrum through her entire being. He was predatory, hunched and ready to strike, and the glint in his eye made her heart pound that much more just before he launched into action.

One moment her feet were on the ground, and the next, Orihime found herself half-hazardly tossed over Ichigo's shoulder like a sack of potatoes as he bolted down the steps. She squealed on instinct, even as she held onto him out of fear of falling. He held her with one hand securely around her middle, while the other braced against the backs of her legs – just like he'd done when initially preparing to take her down from the plateau in Hueco Mundo after battling GrimmJow, much to her embarrassment. This time, his hand was placed higher up on her thighs than perhaps he meant to, and certainly higher than he'd ever touched before. She only had a moment to ponder his hand placement (something he'd given little to no thought about) before she found herself whipping through the air, her hat flying off her head. Her squeal turned into a shriek as she refused to let go of him while he attempted to toss her Kami knows where. He grunted in surprise as she clung to his coat, his momentum carrying them through a wild spin that he tried to correct but couldn't.

"Inoue!" he laughed, right as she cheered, "Kurosaki-kun!" They both ended up in the snowdrift.

Even though they landed in snow, it was still a hard landing, Ichigo's breath _whooshing_ from his lungs as he fell on his back with Orihime on top of him. She laughed the whole way, dragging him down with her when he attempted to throw her off. He wasn't mad, he couldn't be mad, as they both laughed like madmen, snow swirling wildly around them. It wasn't until Orihime sat up, finally pulling herself from the snow, that he sobered. In his attempt to lessen the impact once it became clear the both of them were going to go down, he'd brought her down, her legs somehow straddling his waist; and when she sat up, their position became painfully obvious.

"I win!" she cheered, grinning down at him while she braced herself with her hands on his chest.

His hands were on her thighs and he didn't even know how they got there. His blood immediately turned into lava in his veins, a flash of heat rippling from the top of his head to the tips of his toes as he struggled to continue breathing. But the moment her tinkling laugh reached his ears, he couldn't help but join in – choosing to enjoy the moment rather than panic at their compromising position for a change. "I've got to say, I wasn't expecting you to do that!" It was a compliment.

Her smile widening, Orihime couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her. "I didn't expect you to _throw_ me, either!"

Trying desperately not to pay attention to the pleasant weight of Orihime so low on his waist, Ichigo swallowed dryly. "You did challenge me," he replied, some of the mirth leaving his voice, leaving it deep and low. Cold snow surrounded his head and neck and pressed into his back, the aches in his muscles coming back with a vengeance after his mad dash down the stairs, but he could only focus on her. Her hair was a mess, falling down over her shoulders in unruly waves, but her cheeks were the color of cherry blossoms, her eyes twinkling with happiness and mirth. Her fingers gently dug into the front of his coat, and he was in real danger of her feeling the pounding of his heart. Regardless, she'd never looked more beautiful. _Inoue,_ he breathed, cursing the fact that he lacked the courage to say so out loud, to give in to the wanton thoughts she'd suddenly elicited in his mind. It would be all too easy to pull her back down and claim her lips with his own, or sit up and entangle her in his arms…

"What the hell are you two doing?!"

It was Tatsuki. They both immediately cringed, Orihime shoving herself away from Ichigo in one direction as he rolled in the opposite, both of them ending up on their knees in the snow. Their eyes met in a brief moment of panic, as though they'd just been caught doing something incredibly wrong, before they looked to the top of the steps, where the martial arts expert stood with her hands formidably on her hips.

"She threw a snowball at me," Ichigo answered after a moment's pause, desperate to come up with something that would lessen the tension that was suddenly fizzling in the air around them. He knew Tatsuki was protective of Orihime, just as much as he knew she didn't need to be. Not only could Orihime take care of herself, and she'd proved it, he would never do anything to hurt her. Regardless, the situation called for a less sobering answer.

"What?!" Orihime shrieked, turning to stare at him in astonishment with her mouth hanging open. "Kurosaki-kun! You threw a snowball at me!" In her surprise, she reacted purely on instinct, gathering more snow up in her hands and dumping it on top of his head. He responded by doing the same, with twice as much snow.

While their snowball fight resumed from the ground, Tatsuki looked on in mild shock. She hadn't expected to _witness_ Ichigo acting so wild and carefree with her best friend, but after seeing it, she couldn't help but smile. Rather than break them up, she turned to call back into the house, "Snowball fight!" Within a moment, chaos had ensued.

* * *

 _As always, I own nothing but this story! All characters and Bleach belong to Tite Kubo, who does not write enough romance for the rest of us apparently, but is still a genius! Comments and reviews are always welcome!_


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: As promised, the second update! It's a bit shorter of a chapter, but like I said, it was originally part of the last part. Enjoy!_

* * *

When Ichigo all but stumbled through the front door, he jumped to the side with a shout, narrowly avoiding his father's flying kick aimed at his face. Before his father could even land an attack again, Ichigo brought his knee up and his clasped hands down, forcefully bringing his father down into his knee before dropping him like a sack of potatoes. "Are you crazy?!" he snapped, staring down at his groaning father with annoyance clear in his scowling features.

"Ichigo, my son! You haven't lost your touch!" Isshin praised, even as he rubbed his bruised back while he rose to his feet. When Ichigo didn't move and continued to scowl, Isshin's smile finally fell. "What is it?"

Closing his eyes, Ichigo dropped his head back against the wall. He hated to do it, but he really had no choice. He rarely (if ever) went to his father for advice, and for good reason. The man was eccentric to a fault, often times driving Ichigo and Karin to the brink of insanity while Yuzu simply found it endearing. He still talked to the extremely large photo of their mother in the kitchen as though she were there. Not to mention the _HUGE_ secret he had been keeping from him that only came to light when all nearly seemed lost in Las Noches. Regardless, he _was_ his father, and if there was a time he needed "fatherly advice", it was now. "I need to ask you something."

The smile that broke across Isshin's scruffy face was one of pride and pure happiness. He could count on one hand the number of times his son had asked for his advice, and the fact he was coming to him now spoke volumes. "Of course," he answered, his voice surprisingly serious for once.

The two moved into the kitchen, Ichigo kicking off his shoes before he moved through the house. Isshin immediately busied himself with making tea, oddly nervous based on his son's behavior. When Ichigo slowly (and stiffly) lowered himself into his chair but remained silent, Isshin finally turned around, resting his hip against the counter as he narrowed his eyes at his son. "Well?" he prodded.

Heat immediately rose to Ichigo's cheeks, and he hated it. He'd never talked to his father about girls before – there had never been a need to, despite Isshin's blurted (and unwanted) advice on more than a few occasions. Regardless, now that he actually _needed_ it, he wasn't sure how to begin. His father's continued silence did not help. He was _never_ quiet, so why was he silent when Ichigo had no idea what to say? With a hefty sigh, Ichigo glanced in his father's direction before dropping his gaze to the table, his hands clasped nervously on top of it. "There's this dance on Friday," he began.

Isshin's gasp was audible, but he remained silent; the look of pure fire Ichigo shot him keeping him mute. Regardless, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as his chest swelled with pride. It was finally happening!

"I-Inoue asked me to go with her," Ichigo quietly continued, picking at a spot on the table as though it were the most interesting thing in the world. He could feel his father's gaze boring into him but couldn't bear the thought of looking at him. "And apparently we are supposed to do something for dinner before, with everyone else, and I don't know what to do."

Isshin mulled over Ichigo's words. If anything, Ichigo's brief explanation raised more questions than it answered, but he knew this was not the time to push. He had to tread carefully, or he'd scare him off. "Inoue, huh?" he asked, turning around as the teakettle started whistling at his back.

Clearing his throat, Ichigo risked a glance at his father's back, for once wishing his father would have his typical over-the-top reaction. This quiet and contemplative side of him was disconcerting and unfamiliar. "Yeah. It's a girls-ask-the-guys kind of thing."

Calmly pouring their tea, Isshin asked, "Would you have asked her if it wasn't?"

Ichigo choked on air, coughing in surprise at his father's words. When his father carefully set his tea down in front of him before taking a seat across from him, he understood exactly why his father asked, even if he hated him for it. "Probably not," he reluctantly admitted, staring into his tea rather than meet his father's penetrating gaze. Even so, his real answer of, 'I probably wouldn't have had the guts,' was not missed.

His cup raised to his lips to blow on the brew, Isshin asked, "So, you like Inoue then, don't you?" He knew who Ichigo was talking about; had seen and felt the way his son lost control at the thought of losing her, what he was willing to do and go through to get her back, and it was something he could empathize with. It was how he felt about his late wife, after all.

A grunt was his answer, but Ichigo finally shrugged and admitted, "Yeah."

"And you want to impress her?" Isshin pressed, raising an eyebrow as he set his steaming mug back down. His son was squirming before him, and while a small part of him relished in seeing him uncomfortable (it showed how much he actually cared about this, after all), he also wanted more than anything to see him succeed.

"I don't want to mess it up," Ichigo corrected. The thought of _impressing_ Orihime never crossed his mind. He simply didn't want to crash and burn in brilliant flames, permanently scaring her away.

Isshin was quiet a moment, swirling his tea in his mug while he contemplated his response. He was thinking back to the early days in his courting of his wife, and what he'd done to help win her over. Even now, he was oddly perceptive – something Ichigo would never give him credit for because he hid it behind his wild antics. At his continued silence, Ichigo's frown deepened into a scowl, unease lining his brow as he watched his father, the wheels obviously turning in his mind. Several minutes passed before he finally raised his eyes to Ichigo's, bright with inspiration as he burst into a grin that both frightened and encouraged his son. "Then here's what you've got to do."

* * *

The girls had left Orihime's around the same time as the guys. It was already dark out and even though the girls could handle themselves, none of the guys wanted them walking home alone. Even though Rukia and Ichigo would eventually end up at the same place, she had broken off in the direction of Urahara's with Renji, Toshiro, and Rangiku, something the substitute soul reaper had been oddly grateful for. Rukia may be one of his best friends, but he wasn't ready to face her alone just yet – he'd wanted the time alone with his thoughts as he walked home. This left Chad and Uryu to walk Tatsuki home, the martial arts expert nervous being surrounded by the two of them, but the three of them managing to make amiable conversation nonetheless.

Tatsuki's presence had kept Rangiku from sharing the messages from Toshiro until they were all well on their separate ways home. Once the karate expert turned off on her own way, two escorts in tow, and Ichigo was heading home on his own, Rangiku shared the image in a text with the caption, _"They just about took down Urahara's shop!"_

The image showed the four guys squaring off, each obviously battered and tired, but with a spark in their eyes that could not be ignored. Orihime found herself staring at Ichigo's image, his tattered shihakusho blowing in the breeze, his hair wild, and his face streaked with dirt. She could tell he had been injured, those injuries and perhaps his soreness the obvious reasons for his stiffness during the movie. But seeing how the others had also been affected, Renji even worse off than Ichigo, Uryu clearly dirty and tired but his clothes at least mostly intact, and Chad shirtless and dripping sweat clearly explained their sluggishness during their snowball fight that had ensued just after Tatsuki found her and Ichigo in the snowdrift. Looking back on it, her cheeks burned, remembering and finally understanding the position they'd been in with her _straddling_ him, but she couldn't help but smile. It had led into one of the most fun nights of her life, the entire group pelting each other with snowballs and squealing like children until the neighbors finally yelled at them to quiet down.

She waited nearly half an hour before texting him, her apartment feeling strangely empty and lonely now that his presence was gone. She wasn't entirely sure what to say, but settled for, _"So… Captain Hitsugaya sent this to Rangiku-chan!."_ The teasing was clear in her text, especially once the image loaded and Ichigo saw the message Rangiku finally shared with the others of the four guys battling each other, wrecking Urahara's training ground, and causing general mayhem. _"How was training, anyway?"_ she added a moment later, a winking smiley face showing how she was teasing him. Just a few weeks prior she wouldn't have dared to say something so brazen, but now it felt natural and easy, something that made her feel light and bubbly and warm all over.

* * *

Across town, Ichigo cocked his head to the side at his father's latest instruction. "Really?" he asked. His father was laying the whole evening out for him, almost as though he'd done it before.

Smiling widely, Isshin nodded. "Really."

It was then that Ichigo's phone vibrated in his pocket, interrupting his conversation with his father. Regardless, since he was waiting to hear from Orihime, he pulled the device out of his pocket, carefully concealing the smile that wanted to break across his features at seeing the message was from _her._ He couldn't even care less that she was trying to give him a hard time over training so hard for what seemed to her like no apparent reason. Hearing from her was enough, but rather than answer right away he continued his conversation with his father. His father had other plans, however.

"That her?"

Scowling, Ichigo protectively put his phone back in his pocket. "Why do you care?"

His reaction stating it all, Isshin folded his arms across his chest and smiled. "Then don't sit around here talking to me. Go cement your plans with her for Friday," he dismissed him with a wave of his hand, their tea long gone anyway. He'd told his son what he needed to. The rest was up to him.

Once the thought entered his mind, Ichigo wasn't able to chase it away, and he had to ask – had to know – even with Orihime waiting. Turning over his shoulder to glance at the portrait of his mother, he asked, "Is this what you did with mom?"

Ichigo's words caught him by surprise and Isshin coughed, scarcely covering his mouth with his hand before he finally nodded, admitting the truth behind Ichigo's words. "It is," he stated calmly. "And she married me, so obviously it worked!"

Ichigo wanted to spit out a harsh retort. It felt unusual not to with the typical banter that ran rampant in their household. Instead, he shrugged his shoulders and stood up, his legs screaming in protest at the movement. Before he left the kitchen, however, he paused, turning to look back over his shoulder at his father. "Hey," he started, waiting until his father's dark eyes met his own. "Thanks, Dad."

Isshin's lower lip quivered at Ichigo's words but he refrained from saying anything that would ruin the moment and simply nodded, watching as Ichigo left the room and made his way up the stairs. A moment later he heard the door shut to his bedroom, and Isshin wiped an imaginary tear from below his eye as he sighed at the portrait of Masaki. "He's all grown up, Masaki!" he wailed, only to be pulled from his thoughts when the front door opened yet again.

"I'm home!" Rukia called, gently kicking out of her shoes and shuffling the bags in her hands. Seeing her with all her packages, an excitement in her eyes that normally wasn't there, also made Isshin smile. Apparently, his son wasn't the only one with a date for the dance…

* * *

Safe in his room, Ichigo was only scarcely aware of Rukia's return home – the way she slammed the front door making her presence hard to miss. He ignored her, pulling his phone from his pocket and looking at the blank screen with a mixture of feelings. Part of him was excited – he had a plan, after all, and it seemed like a good one – but part of him was also nervous. _"Training went well,"_ he typed out, scowling at how lame his response was. It wasn't training so much as it was venting. Venting about what, he couldn't exactly say, but they'd all needed it – needed to pummel the shit out of something or someone and had taken it out on each other in typical male fashion. But they'd felt better by the end of it, laughing and joking once more as though nothing had happened, despite the fact they were all walking on legs that felt like they could give out at any moment. How the four of them had managed to survive the snowball fight was a mystery to him. _"Did you have a good time today?"_ he added a moment later, his face twisted in annoyance at how awkward he suddenly felt. What happened to the confidence he'd had when they were alone together on the porch?

It took only a moment for Orihime to respond, not picking up on Ichigo's inner turmoil at all through the text messages. _"Yes."_ She hit send and then panicked. What if he asked what they were doing while the guys were training? She couldn't very well tell him they'd gone underwear shopping! Of course, he'd had multiple opportunities to ask such things before, during, and after the movie – but what if he thought to ask now?!

Blissfully ignorant, Ichigo looked at Orihime's short reply with a little confusion. She wasn't usually so short with her answers. Was she upset about earlier? Was now a bad time? Should he not do this over text messages? Part of him felt like he should do it in person, or at least _call_ her, but the other part knew that if he did, he might just chicken out, or say something stupid, or worse. _"About Friday,"_ he began, his finger accidentally slipping and hitting send. _Shit!_ He cursed in his head, wildly throwing out the rest of the message in order to avoid any confusion. But he wasn't fast enough, for Orihime stared at the beginning of his message with real fear gripping her heart.

 _Is he backing out?! Does he not want to go with me?!_ Even if their lunch together was a perfect example of how that couldn't be true, she couldn't help but panic until the rest of his message came through, complete with a few typos in his haste – despite autocorrect.

" _I mean about diner. Since you're housing, how would you feel if I cook? I've got a meal in mnd that can feet all of us. I can just come over a little earlier to get thongs ready."_

Orihime looked at the message with her mouth hanging open in surprise. She never thought she'd see the day that Ichigo would _cook_ for her, ignoring the fact that it was going to be for the others too. The fact that he'd be coming early to her house before the dance only added to the excitement. It was that much more time they could spend together! And he'd be cooking for her! Giddy, she squealed in delight as she fell back onto her bed, clutching her phone to her racing heart, until her phone went off again in her hand.

Looking at the screen, she half expected to see another message from Ichigo, but he was silent, awaiting her reply. It was a message from Rukia. Her brow furrowing, she opened the message and gasped. _This could be a problem…_

Rukia's message was full of smiley faces. _"Hey, Orihime! What do you think about us girls getting ready at your place? You're closer to the school and we're eating there anyway. This way we can all help each other get ready. Rangiku has already volunteered to help with hair and makeup!"_

Pursing her lips to the side, Orihime agonized over who to answer first and _how._ Rukia's message made perfect sense. She was surprised they hadn't come to such a decision before they separated earlier that afternoon. But how would Ichigo feel about that? Cooking while the girls were getting ready? _So much for more alone time…_

" _I'd love that, Kurosaki-kun!"_ she finally answered, aware that a lot of time had passed since his proposal. She had no idea how much he was sweating on the other end, true fear making his heart race as he awaited her reply. _"The girls are all getting ready here, though. Would that be a problem?"_

Ichigo saw the beginning of Orihime's reply and grinned. Perfect. He could cook for her, give her the flowers before anyone else got there, and no one would be the wiser; but his grin immediately fell when he read the second message. He knew Rukia was home, and couldn't stop himself from launching into the hallway, bursting through her door without so much as knocking. "Damn it, Rukia!"

Rukia jumped from her position on the bed, reading a manga. Her cell phone sat beside her, still waiting on Orihime's reply before she finalized the plans with the others. She'd felt Ichigo's reiatsu flare, but had ignored it, which turned out to be a bad thing considering his ire was directed at her. "What's your problem?" she snapped, her violet eyes blazing indignantly.

"Really? You _have_ to get ready at Inoue's?!"

"Why would that even matter?!"

Ichigo opened his mouth to reply before shutting it, glowering at Rukia with eyes that would burst her into flame if it were possible. Did he really want to admit to her why this was such an issue? His silence was all the answer she needed, and she burst into laughter, falling back onto her bed and grabbing her belly as peals of laughter spilled from her lips. Her knees drew up toward her chest as she kicked her feet. "Oh, Ichigo!" she gasped between bouts of laughter.

"Ah, fuck off," he grumbled, still glaring at her as he made his way towards the door.

"Admit that you're pissed I interrupted your time with Orihime, and I will!" she teased.

Ichigo paused at the door, running a hand through his hair, but he refused to give in. He wouldn't give Rukia the satisfaction as he turned and left, slamming the door behind him so hard the pictures on the wall rattled. How was he supposed to give Orihime her flowers before the others got there, now? Regardless, he messaged her back as though the previous explosion in his household hadn't just happened. _"That's fine. How long do you guys need so I can plan accordingly?"_ He smirked with nervous hope as he tried to weasel around the girls.

There was a pause on the other end, and Ichigo heard Rukia's phone go off in the meantime, making him frown once more. If he were old enough to drink, he'd be drinking, drowning his agitation as his best friend came between him and the woman he loved.

 _Love._ He stopped mid-step as soon as the thought entered his head, but the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't deny it. He was in love with Orihime. He had been for a long time. Looking back on it, it was completely obvious – the way he'd panicked at her leaving, the way his heart had felt so light and yet full when he'd realized her reiatsu was clinging to his once injured hand, the murderous rage that had filled him at the thought of her being harmed or even scared at the hands of the Espada, the immense and nearly overpowering sense of relief he'd felt at seeing her again, only to have his heart ripped from his chest when she was taken once more. It was so obvious, it had just taken him forever to realize it himself. Rather than balk, as he'd been doing, he locked the feeling deep within his chest, still uneasy about acknowledging it, but using it as clear motivation to make the next week, and especially the dance, the best it could be.

" _It will take a while with the four of us,"_ Orihime finally responded, not getting a clear answer on time from Rukia. Rangiku said it could take as long as an hour to do each of their hair, although she doubted that with the soul reaper's skills. Regardless, she couldn't tell Ichigo that. There was something between the lines in his messages that told her he was trying to coordinate something, and she didn't want to be the one to ruin it. _"We should know more later in the week?"_ She added with a question mark, because she honestly wasn't sure.

The obvious solution was to come over once the girls were done getting ready, bite the bullet, and let them see him give her the flowers. In all honesty, that was probably what was _going_ to happen, but he still had to _try_ to fight it, at the very least. He didn't need an audience. He didn't _want_ an audience. _"That's fine."_ He answered after a momentary pause, trying to calculate how long he needed to cook in his head. In all actuality, it wouldn't take _that_ long…

' _ **Who would have thought that Rukia could be such a cock-block?'**_

The words of his hollow took Ichigo so completely by surprise he nearly tripped over his own feet, stumbling into the banister before he recovered. He certainly hadn't been expecting _that!_ But it didn't make them any less true, as grudging as he was to admit it, so even though he grumbled about the language, and the implications behind it, he didn't argue. _Damn it, Rukia,_ he cursed inwardly once more instead.

There was silence between Ichigo and Orihime then, both holding onto their cellphones in case the other messaged, but no longer sure of what to say. Ichigo made his way back to the kitchen, all but limping down the steps, to get himself a much-needed recovery drink. Why he hadn't thought to get one before going upstairs in the first place was a mystery, but he suspected it had to do with his excitement to talk to Orihime. _Damn, she's really gotten under my skin,_ he admitted to himself, surprised the thought came as easy as it did and didn't bother him as much as he would have thought. Distracted with his own thoughts, he was more than a little relieved that the kitchen was empty, leaving him alone to grin like an idiot when Orihime finally messaged him again.

" _So…. You going to tell me who won?"_

Ichigo couldn't believe what he was seeing. He could all but hear the inflection in Orihime's words, see the way her eyes would sparkle mischievously as she _baited_ him, but because it was her, he responded differently than he would anyone else, gladly taking the bait. Their earlier playful banter was fresh in his mind. _"I think we all lost,"_ he admitted with a smiley-face that was only half smiling.

On the other line, Orihime frowned, her mirth turning into true concern until he quickly added, _"And won. Beat the hell out of each other."_

 _How is that a good thing?!_ She wanted to scream her question, the male mind still so much of a mystery to her. She chose a more tactful route instead. _"Is there any particular reason you guys had to do… that?"_

Ichigo took his time in answering, not entirely sure how much to divulge. _"I guess you could say we were frustrated."_ Even if he couldn't say exactly why… which was the very next question she asked.

" _Why were you guys so frustrated? What happened?"_

He could all but imagine the concern in her voice, which made trying to figure out how to answer her that much harder. _"Let's just say shopping all day with Ishida can be… irritating, to say the least."_ He added a winking face to show he wasn't entirely serious. Thankfully, he wasn't entirely lying either.

" _Oh."_ Orihime frowned at her incredibly lame answer but couldn't think of anything else to say to that. She hadn't imagined what shopping would be like for the guys. _"Earlier…"_ she started, not really sure how to begin.

Ichigo froze at the word, his mind immediately returning to how they landed in the snow, _where_ his hands had been and almost worse, where his _mind_ had gone. _I knew it, I knew I went too far. This is it,_ he panicked inwardly, turning his phone off and flipping it over as though it could stop the tidal wave of nervous energy he suddenly had pouring off of him in waves. His phone suddenly felt like the most dangerous weapon, and his head was in his hands before he knew it.

" _Is it really that bad?"_

Once he had the nerve to read the message, Ichigo laughed, quietly cursing himself for being so anxious, before replying, _"Let's just say if any hollows show up, Hitsugaya better plan on taking care of them."_ He sent a winking face afterwards just for kicks.

Orihime received Ichigo's message and smiled, even if the amount of training they had all undergone continued to not sit well with her. _"I'd tell him for you, but he's still at Urahara's."_

" _They're probably all three sheets to the wind by now,"_ Ichigo grumbled, realizing that he might have to take care of any nightly hollows anyway. _Nope, fuck it. Rukia is here._ _ **She**_ _can handle them!_ He was still irritated with the tiny Shinigami.

Much to her chagrin, Orihime had to Google Ichigo's comment, not at all sure what he meant. Once she figured it out, she laughed, smacking herself in the forehead for being so silly, even as she completely agreed with his sentiment. Knowing Rangiku, they _were_ probably all drunk. Well, maybe except for the captain. _"Probably."_

Quiet descended on the two of them as they both debated on what to say. Exhaustion was finally taking hold of Ichigo, and he found himself sinking further and further into his bed with each passing second, his eyelids growing heavier. Regardless, he didn't want to stop talking to Orihime, even though he'd never admit that.

" _Kurosaki-kun?"_ She paused a moment before texting the rest. _"Thanks for today. I had a lot of fun, even when you threw me in the snow."_

Ichigo saw her message and smiled, his lips crooked in his fatigue. _"You're welcome, Inoue. I had a lot of fun too."_ He paused before deciding to playfully add, _"And I guess I threw us both in the snow? So there is that."_

Orihime smiled fondly at her phone, remembering the exhilarating feeling of his hands on her, and the way she'd shrieked with such wild abandon when he'd attempted to throw her. She'd felt free, then – just as much as when they'd went sledding and had their own private snowball fight before. The others joining their snowball fight had taken some of the intrigue out of it, and she hated to admit that she was a little bit disappointed when suddenly their game of two increased to a game of nine, but she'd still had a fun night. Everyone had left laughing and completely exhausted.

" _We'll have to have a rematch when you guys aren't a bunch of invalids."_

Ichigo's mouth fell open at her snarky comment, his eyes wide even if he was smirking. Somehow the game had ended up with boys against girls and the only reason the guys hadn't _completely_ gotten their asses handed to them was because of the captain. _"You're on."_ He hated to do it, but his eyes were already fighting the two-ton weights that were his eyelids. _"But first, sleep."_

Without him saying it, Orihime understood what he meant. She could all but picture him falling asleep, recalling the way he'd passed out on her floor while studying. That night felt like ages ago. It was hard to believe less than a week had passed since then. Smiling gently at the memory, she quickly texted, _"Good night, Kurosaki-kun."_

He hesitated only a moment, his mind turning back to their embrace just the previous night with an even stronger sense of longing, despite his exhaustion. _"Good night, Inoue."_

Little did he know, she was also thinking of their embrace, and of the way he'd looked at her. Her heart was racing just thinking about the playful way he'd distracted her from the movie, the way she fit perfectly in his arms, and the sensation she got just from being within his grasp. With a heavy sigh, she dropped her face down to her pillow, smiling brightly.

* * *

 _A/N: I will admit that I finished polishing this off and editing with a few drinks in me, so hopefully there aren't any serious typos! Hehe. As always, comments and reviews are love, and I can't thank you guys enough for sticking with this story. Your encouragement is the reason this story is still living and breathing. We're getting closer!_

 _As always, Bleach and all characters belong to Tite Kubo. I just own this story._


	17. Chapter 17

_I can't believe it has been 4 months since I've updated this! How did that even happen?! I know I'm always apologizing, but life is life and things get in the way sometimes. I've been a bit busy and motivation/inspiration have been lacking, even though a lot of this has been sitting written just waiting for a few final touches before I was satisfied enough to post. I promise that this story is not and will not be abandoned and that I have some future bits also already written, just have to get there in the story. For those of you still hanging in there, thank you thank you thank you!_

 _JimmyLane, ToLazytosignin, Rainy Jaded Meadows (thanks for the referral btw!), BrokenAngelWings83, ShippperTrashhh808, Veraozao, TheJSmooth, KookiePie1025, . (your name is SO hard lol!), Mishkin, TheWolf87, WestOfTheGlass, and as always, xxxaccountxkilledxxx – I sincerely hope you just changed your name because for a moment there I thought you disappeared – I cannot express my gratitude for your kind words and encouragement. Your follows, favorites, and lovely comments literally make me smile like an idiot every time and feed my writer's soul!_

* * *

Lunchtime on Monday found the group in their usual spot on the roof; Renji, Rukia, Toshiro, and Rangiku melding with the group effortlessly thanks to the memory modification allowed to the soul reapers. It had continued to snow throughout the remainder of the weekend, the ever-expanding group of friends mostly keeping to themselves other than the occasional text in preparation for the upcoming dance on Friday, mainly between the girls. Even though their plans had been all but solidified, there were a few in the group without dates – Keigo and Chizuru – who couldn't stop harassing the others about their plans and how they managed to get left out of them. Although Mizuiro had a date, he was not the least bit bothered by the fact that the others had plans that did not involve him. It meant he could have more time alone with his lady friend.

Lunch was oddly tense and the stiff movements of many of the guys was not missed by the others. Ichigo was ready to snap. Between Keigo's incessant whining about not having a date, Chizuru eying Orihime in a manner he did not deem appropriate, and an awful lot of loitering females on the roof that were not typically there, his patience was at its limit. Thankfully, even Keigo knew when it was best to shut his mouth at times, and the group descended into an uncomfortable silence for the majority of their break.

Dark eyes darting to the others surrounding him, Keigo felt his curiosity bubbling up through his chest with such force, it overrode his sense of self-preservation. He finally broke the silence, his inner filter never something he bothered to consult anyway. "Okay, what's gotten into you guys?" He pointedly looked at the four males in question. "Did something happen this weekend? You could cut the sexual tension up here with a knife!"

All eyes turned to the boisterous teen. Many were filled with shock, but an equal number were filled with murderous rage. "What are you talking about?" Chizuru was the only one clueless enough to ask; too absorbed in Orihime to pay much attention to the others.

Keigo indicated the four males who could scarcely move without wincing, their postures screaming their discomfort. "Come on. You guys are clearly sore and grumpy as hell. What did you do? Work out some serious sexual frustration?" His eyebrows waggled suggestively, even if he was annoyed with their behavior at the same time.

"ASANO!" Tatsuki shouted, barely suppressing the urge to jump to her feet.

"What the hell are you talking about? It was nothing like that!" Uryu argued, his eyes quickly turning to the others for help. He was, at least, speaking the truth.

Renji was the only one laughing – throwing his head back and howling with laughter even though it killed his abs to do so. "What would I need to do that for?" he cackled. He _was_ the only one of them with an official significant other, after all.

Her cheeks darkening at Renji's implied meaning, Rukia smacked him in the chest with the back of her hand as a vein pulsed in her forehead without saying a word. A simple clearing of her throat and the force in her strike was enough to sober the fiery red-headed Shinigami into silence. "Is that why you didn't get out of bed until one in the afternoon, Ichigo?" Rukia asked, only a hint of teasing present in her voice.

"Wait, what?" Orihime murmured, her eyes glancing quickly between everyone who was talking as she tried to piece together the conversation. Once she heard the words 'sexual frustration', all else ceased to make sense except for the rapid pitter-patter of her heart at the way Ichigo had tensed at the words, his eyes glued to the food sitting in his lap.

"Can it, Rukia," Ichigo growled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "What are you doing tracking my sleeping habits anyway?"

"Yeah!" Renji chimed in, eager to help Ichigo for once in retaliation. He was still rubbing his aching chest.

"Why else would you need to work out so hard?" Keigo continued, not about to let his opportunity go to waste, especially when he saw how his words had affected the others.

"Because we needed the work out," Sado argued, uncharacteristically turning to Toshiro for help. The stubborn captain simply stared back, deadpanned. An almost imperceptible shrug of his shoulders and shake of his head spoke to his unwillingness to help; as though he had no idea what they had been doing or why.

"I smell lies!" Keigo accused them all, pointing his finger at each of them quickly in turn.

"If you don't put that thing away, I'll break it," Ichigo threatened, his eyes throwing daggers from across their little circle. Keigo immediately recognized that his words held no idle threat and lowered his hand, his eyes following in quiet submission.

"So, have we decided what we're doing for dinner, yet?" Rangiku innocently asked, desperately trying to change the subject as she picked at the berries in her bento box.

Ichigo groaned inwardly. The last thing he wanted to do was tell the others his plans _in front of_ Keigo, Mizuiro, Chizuru, and whoever the hell else decided to hang out on the roof for some stupid reason. But he had to admit, Rangiku had a right to ask. Although he'd discussed it with Orihime, he really hadn't come clean to anyone else yet, Rukia included.

"About that," Ichigo started, clearing his throat uncomfortably as he shifted in his seat. He was sitting cross-legged between Orihime and Uryu – a spot that seemed to become "his" without him realizing it. It meant Orihime's other side was easily occupied by Tatsuki, who always sat by her in an attempt to protect her from the wandering eyes (and oftentimes hands) of Chizuru. He was grateful for her protective streak for he'd never wanted to strike a female more in his life; the urge only growing stronger the closer they became to one another and the more aware he became of everything she did, as though his senses cued into her by default.

"Kurosaki-kun said he'd handle it," Orihime interrupted, casting him a knowing glance out of the corner of her eye. Every instinct in her body screamed at her to touch him then, to show him physically that she was trying to help him out, but she knew better, and instead kept her hands tightly gripping her bento box in her lap. The look of relief Ichigo shot her still told her she'd done the right thing, and her smile only grew as warmth coiled around her heart.

"Handle it? What do you mean, you're 'handling it'?" Rukia questioned, her brows lowered in honest confusion.

Shooting her a look that told her to drop it, Ichigo glowered, the heat in his gaze nearly palpable. "Exactly what it sounds like," he grumbled.

"Awe, what?! Ichigo's _cooking_?!" Keigo wailed, tugging on his hair in his distress. "And I'm going to miss it?!"

"You're _cooking?!_ " Rukia's shocked response was nearly as over-the-top as Keigo's, her mouth falling open and her violet eyes wide as they searched his for answers. When Ichigo didn't respond, his scowl only deepening, Rukia's surprise quickly melted into a smile, her eyes lighting up as realization dawned on her. "Oh, so _that's_ what you were doing cooking yesterday! Was that a practice run?"

That was the final straw. His jaw clenched, Ichigo's chopsticks snapped in his hands before he even realized what he was doing. He could _feel_ the audience around them, listening into their conversation with thinly veiled interest and was that disappointment? Surprise? Judgement? He didn't care. He was tired, still sore, and had had enough of the talk about the dance, at least while in front of other people. His mouth opened with a sharp retort when Toshiro stepped in, snapping his chopsticks together to get everyone's attention before turning his turquoise eyes on Renji.

"I'm surprised the dance lessons haven't started yet," he teased, his face completely deadpan as he waited for Renji to respond.

Hearing the captain, Renji's mouth fell open. "Dancing lessons?! What do you mean, dancing lessons?! No one told me about this!" he floundered, his eyes wide in panic.

"Of course," Toshiro continued, pausing to pop a piece of chicken in his mouth. "It's expected," he emphasized. "What did you plan to do? Shuffle your way through the dance?"

 _Expected,_ Renji mused, his mind immediately turning to his own captain and his relationship to his girlfriend. If Byakuya found out he couldn't dance and embarrassed his sister, what would he do to him?! He didn't want to find out. "How is there even time for dancing lessons?!" he cried, his voice higher in his panic as he looked at the rest of the guys. They were all staring right back at him, with just as much surprise written across their features.

"What are you talking about?" Uryu interjected on Renji's behalf. "No one's taking dancing lessons, Abarai."

"But, Captain Kuchiki," Renji started, his mind still twirling around the worst-case-scenario. He could already hear Captain Kuchiki calmly saying, _'Scatter,'_ and turning him into bite-sized pieces of ineptitude.

"Doesn't care," Rukia interrupted, placing a gentle hand on Renji's taut forearm. "Relax, Renji."

"Captain," Rangiku chastised, her eyes sharp as she shook her head at the smaller man. His eyes lost some of their mirth then as he scrunched his nose in annoyance. His ploy hadn't lasted nearly as long as he'd hoped it would, but at least it had diffused the ticking time bomb that was Ichigo's current temper.

Had he been in a better mood, Ichigo would have joined in on Renji's ribbing. He certainly deserved it after the shit he'd pulled the other night, telling the guys his plans on the way to Orihime's. Regardless, his heart and his mind couldn't be in it, and instead he tossed his broken chopsticks into the remains of his lunch before scrambling to his feet. Damn sore legs. _Fuck this,_ he grumbled, for once keeping his obscene comments to himself. "I'm getting coffee," he growled outwardly, feeling the way everyone eyed him warily.

Orihime wanted to follow him, actually tensed in preparation to do so, when she noticed the tight set to his shoulders and the darkness lurking behind his scowl. He clearly wanted to be left alone. With a quiet sigh that still did not go unnoticed by Tatsuki, she resigned herself to stay, following his progress from the roof with her eyes.

"What's _his_ problem?" Chizuru whined, her eyes rolling as she looked at Orihime with a pout. "At least he's _got_ a date."

"Not everything revolves around the damn dance, Honsho," Tatsuki retorted, her dark eyes flashing in challenge. The clenching of her fist did not go unnoticed.

"Could have fooled me," Keigo groused, morosely taking a bite out of his sandwich.

Rukia's dark eyes had been watching their surroundings, not missing the unusual increase in females on the roof despite the less than ideal weather. Now that Ichigo was gone, she noticed more than a few of them leaving, although several still remained, casting furtive glances at their circle. "Huh," she scoffed, her lips twisting into a smirk as she took a sip from her juice box.

"What?" Renji asked, his voice harsh as his nerves were still raw from the captain's badgering and Keigo's comment that had been a little too on the nose for his liking, despite his argument otherwise.

"I just think it's funny," Rukia started, her eyes rising to look at the girls milling around them. Some of them looked away, others were completely oblivious. Even more turned to practically run inside, cheeks pink from more than just the chill in the air.

"What's funny?" Orihime questioned, desperate for something to distract her from Ichigo's unease. She could still feel the volatile pulsing of his reiatsu from inside the school.

"Notice all the girls up here today?" Nearly everyone in the group nodded, except for Chizuru, who only had eyes for Orihime. "Most of them left once Ichigo did."

Keigo groaned in exasperation. "Great. So now he has a fan club, too?!"

Orihime stifled the gasp that threatened to spill from her lips as she turned to take in the remaining females on the roof. Sure enough, more than half of them left after Ichigo did, some of them still making their way towards the door. _Were they wanting to ask him to the dance?! Do they_ _ **like**_ _him?!_ Panic gripped her at the thought, images of Ichigo with these other girls flitting through her mind rapid-fire. She saw him leaning precariously close to a blonde caged between his arms, walking down the hall with a brunette who clasped his arm between hers like she had done, and carrying a red-head on his back just as he'd done with her. Each image dissolved into the next, before she saw him smiling, _grinning_ down at a girl with black hair who beamed a smile right back up at him. His arm was around her waist, holding her close to his side as she so longed for him to do to her. The thought made her heart lurch painfully and she shook her head trying to dispel such evil images. _NO!_

"I don't know that I'd call it a fan club," Tatsuki interrupted her thoughts, nearly punching her in the arm to pull her out of her reverie. "I think most of them are just as afraid of him as they are intrigued by him." Her eyes boldly turned to Sado, even though her heart raced. "Kind of like you, Sado."

Sado jolted at her words, pulled from whatever inner musings he'd been lost in. He shook his head slightly, his hair parting to reveal one hazel eye. "What does that mean, exactly?" he asked, his voice deep and rumbling in their quiet surroundings.

"Come on," Mizuiro finally joined the conversation. "You don't remember when we all started school here and you two were considered delinquents? Everyone was afraid of you." He nudged Keigo, still pouting as he sat beside him. "Keigo here included."

Sado seemed genuinely surprised by Mizuiro's statement. While many in their school didn't approach him or talk to him, he never would have suspected that they were actually _afraid_ to do so. The same could be said for Ichigo. What had either of them done to earn that reputation? And then it clicked. The two of them beat up some bullies in front of the school on their very first day. _Right…_ "I guess I never thought about it that way," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders noncommittally. It wasn't like they went around pummeling guys who looked at them the wrong way. They honestly looked out for others and simply took care of the bullies that would take advantage of them otherwise.

A period of silence settled over them then, eyes moving from Sado to Tatsuki, and back again before the silence was broken by Uryu stretching. "Right," he drawled, lengthening the word dramatically. "That's fascinating and all, but maybe we should get back to class?" It was then that everyone noticed the lack of other students on the roof, and a moment later the warning bell sounded, giving them all a shock as they moved to quickly pack up their belongings.

When they arrived back in class, Ichigo was nowhere in sight, not to anyone's surprise. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Orihime was pretty sure he'd be gone the rest of the day; but whether it was because of what was said at lunch or some other reason, she couldn't be sure. Regardless, the look on his face when he'd left – the anger, annoyance, and could it have been embarrassment would not leave her mind. She couldn't very well leave him alone to stew in his juices. Just before the final bell rang, she gathered her belongings and turned her gaze to Tatsuki, who eyed her with a mixture of disappointment and resignation.

"I'm going after him," Orihime whispered. She knew if anyone would understand her, Tatsuki would.

"Orihime," Tatsuki tried, but then shook her head. "Just try not to get in any trouble, all right?"

Orihime smiled brightly, cocking her head to the side as she slung her bookbag over her shoulder. "Of course!"

Without another word, she turned on her toes and all but ran from the room. Not a moment later and Tatsuki felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Rukia gazing in the direction Orihime had just left. "Where's she going?"

"After Ichigo."

Nothing more needed to be said, but Rukia smiled when her eyes returned to Tatsuki's. Light danced in their dark depths as though pure joy was being reflected back from them. Tatsuki should have known better than to expect anything less from the tiny woman. Of course she'd be happy for Ichigo, regardless of the fact that he was clearly corrupting the angel that was Orihime. But try as she might, Tatsuki couldn't be mad either, and before she knew it, she also found herself smiling.

* * *

In the world of the living, Ichigo rarely bothered (or succeeded in) hiding his reiatsu. Even when he did, Orihime was able to find him due to her strong perception, but even without that, her instincts guided her first to the cafeteria. It was the most likely option since he'd mentioned getting coffee and it was usually the last place to clear out once the bell rang for classes, especially if there were some students with a free period at the time. As she made her way down the nearly deserted halls, her shoes surprisingly silent on the tile floor, she tried to think of what she'd say once she found him.

Ichigo had sauntered outside right before the final bell rang, coffee in hand, scowl still in place. When some passing students eyed him warily, he simply ignored them and trudged forward, avoiding eye contact with anyone and everyone. His coffee was too hot in his hand, but he was too agitated to care – in fact it was a pleasant distraction. Why did the day feel like it was never going to end? And why was it so terrible in the first place? What the hell happened?

Orihime was so absorbed in her thoughts that before she knew it, she rounded the corner into the cafeteria, the remarkable lack of students taking her by surprise. The moment her eyes caught sight of unruly orange hair, her breath stilled in her throat and her feet came to a stop on their own accord, her bag bouncing gently against her hip. His back was to her, his elbows resting on the railing in front of him and his gaze clearly cast downward. His bag lay at his feet, one foot crossed in front of the other as he assumed a position of what appeared to be deep thought. Without seeing his face, she could picture his deep scowl, the line that formed between his eyebrows, and the thin set to his lips. What was he so upset about?

Just as she started moving forward once more, he pushed himself off the railing and stiffly bent to grab his bag. She caught his features in profile for just a moment as he turned to head down the stairs at his left, the stairs that would lead to the front of the school and off of campus. The thought of him leaving spurred her into a run. "Kurosaki-kun!" she cried as she burst through the front doors.

Ichigo spun on his toes in surprise at the sound of his name, his face slack in surprise and his eyes wide. "Inoue?!" He'd immediately recognized her voice, but still had to be sure. He couldn't believe she was there. _Wait,_ why _is she here?!_

Orihime hadn't paused in her movements once she exited the school, hurrying down the steps towards him and immediately causing every nerve in Ichigo's body to prepare for action, his muscles tense as he watched to make sure she wouldn't fall. She was clumsy enough on her own without adding in the steep, slippery school steps into the equation. She nearly made it all the way down, her feet not slipping until she was actually _off_ the steps. It wasn't a big slip, something she was able to recover from by shifting her weight, but she still managed to slide a good distance – almost right into Ichigo – with a breathless, "Whoo!" In fact, she caught herself and held her balance partially by reaching out and grabbing his arm, his forearm like a thick piece of steel in her grip.

He'd luckily shifted his coffee to his other hand, his arm free as he'd moved to stop Orihime's slide just as she'd grabbed onto him. Despite the fact that her slip lasted less than a second, his heart was already pounding, prepared for much worse when he'd seen her face morph into a look of utter surprise. When she continued to hold onto his arm but said nothing, he continued to gape at her in shock, ignoring the desire to wrap her in his arms in relief. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice harsher than he'd meant it.

All urgency fled her then as Orihime found herself faced with the situation she hadn't prepared for. She was momentarily distracted, her mind blank as she realized the arm she was gripping had clearly been moving to intercept her, to keep her from falling. Even now, his coat brushed against her side as though he had been on the verge of pulling her into his arms to catch her, just like he'd already done so many times over the past week. Just as she was gripping him, he was gripping her, his hand firm but gentle on her elbow. Her cheeks warming, she released him, took a small step back and pushed her hands together, tapping her fingers against each other and dropping her gaze to her fidgeting hands as she attempted to gather the courage to meet his gaze. The gentle pull of his hand on her arm was oddly soothing and yet achingly painful as he also pulled away, dragging his fingers down her arm before releasing her. Why did it seem like they went so far forward this weekend, only to be thrown right back to where they started? "Well-I-you," she floundered.

Despite himself, Ichigo smiled – a crooked tilting of his lips on just one side as he watched Orihime stutter in front of him. She was always so honest, it was refreshing, and without her even needing to do a thing he started to feel lighter just by being in her presence. "Coffee?" he asked, gently offering his cup her way.

With a disgruntled sigh, Orihime dropped her hands to her legs, smacking them in her frustration. _So much for saying something good once I found him! Now what is he going to think?!_ Her eyes narrowed, her brows drawing down as she looked at the coffee he was offering her before looking back up at him. _Why is he offering me coffee?_ His eyes were open and honest, the chocolate depths bright and warm as the snow reflected back in them. There was no sign of his earlier frustration and in fact, he was _smiling_. It made her want to do anything to keep that smile in place. Without realizing it, she pulled her lower lip between her teeth in indecision. "No, I couldn't," she started, but he raised the still steaming cup closer up under her nose. The rich aroma captured her senses and she had to suppress the urge to breathe in deeply.

"It's all right, Inoue. I don't mind sharing." His voice was oddly calm, his tone quiet, rich, and deep like they were sharing secrets.

The thought of her lips touching something his lips had touched sparked a thrill in her chest. The way his eyes fell when she still didn't take it snuffed that warmth right out and replaced it with a cold ball of tension. Still, she didn't move, uncertainty rendering her immobile.

"Besides, I owe you after how I acted on the roof."

' _ **Apologizing? Are you**_ **apologizing** _ **?!'**_

Ichigo ignored his hollow and instead focused on the confusion that rapidly took over Orihime's features. Ichigo didn't apologize – she knew as much from how Rukia had to force an apology out of him after their first encounter with the Espada. Even then, he'd only been acting the way he did out of a misplaced sense of guilt, but Rukia quite literally bent his arm backwards to force the words out of his mouth, and he'd looked none too pleased about the situation. The fact that he was apologizing _to her_ of his own free will, quickly melted the ball of tension in her chest, setting her heart aglow with warmth once more. When she gently reached out and plucked the coffee from his grasp, her fingers grazed his. Much as they had done just days before, they lingered, eyes searching out the gaze of the other, before slowly pulling away as though their reluctance to part made it physically painful to do so. Once Orihime held the coffee completely in hand, she wrapped both her hands around it in order to utilize the warmth. She missed Ichigo clenching his hands in order to stop himself from touching her again.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Kurosaki-kun," she murmured, closing her eyes just as she took a sip of the surprisingly sweet brew.

Mesmerized as she sipped from his cup, Ichigo's thoughts ran much the same as Orihime's. If they shared the coffee, their lips would be touching what the other's touched. Did that count as _anything_ or was he losing his mind out of blind desperation and want? _I'm fucking losing it…_ Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he cleared his throat. "But I do. I acted like an ass."

A quiet chuckle escaped her before she could stop it and the moment the sound reached her ears, Orihime clasped her hand over her mouth in order to silence herself and gently shook her head.

Ichigo frowned, the light in his eyes belying his lack of seriousness. "Just accept my apology already, Inoue."

The deep rumble to his voice sent a pleasant shiver down Orihime's spine and she couldn't help herself. With his harsh and yet gentle words, he'd managed to erase the awkwardness that had somehow managed to creep up on them once more. She was back with the Ichigo she'd been lucky enough to witness and get to know – the one he didn't show everyone else. It brought a true smile to her lips, her heart light and happy as she took another sip of his coffee, its warmth like a gentle kiss on her lips. "Apology accepted," she finally relented once she'd swallowed the sweet elixir. His sudden grin made her knees weak.

When she held the coffee out for him, he took it without comment, his eyes not leaving hers. She was spellbound as he quickly took a drink, her mind replacing the lid of the coffee cup with her lips. Warmth immediately flooded her cheeks, but she took a step forward and leaned against the rail at his side regardless, forcefully trying to calm her suddenly racing heart. The fact that he joined her, their hips practically touching, only made her heart leap into a faster gallop, her stomach clenching nervously. His eyes were on the lot in front of them, the rack of bikes, and the grass that was currently covered in a blanket of white snow. Despite the glass doors at their backs, they were alone; the cold and snow granting them privacy they normally wouldn't have at such an hour of the day, regardless of the fact that they were supposed to be in class.

It was as Ichigo extended the coffee to her once more that Orihime chose to allow herself to follow what her body instinctually wanted to do, even if the thought did make her heart pound like a galloping horse in her chest. As she took the cup from him, her shoulder brushed against his arm, shooting sparks into her limb in the process. She felt him momentarily stiffen against her, then relax as she slightly pushed, nudging him as he'd so easily done to her when preparing for their movie night. His gentle chuckle as he pushed back was like music to her ears and she took a quick sip of coffee to hide the grin that threatened to split her face.

The touch of Orihime's shoulder against his arm momentarily surprised Ichigo into stillness, until he allowed himself the pleasure of reacting the way he wanted to, also recalling the ease between them just a few nights prior. _There's no reason to be so awkward, you dumb ass,_ he berated himself, inwardly biting his cheek in annoyance at his own cowardice. How could he let his own insecurities possibly ruin what was happening between them? The last thing he wanted was to push her away, but if he wasn't careful, he knew that was what he might end up doing. Without even taking into consideration what losing their newfound closeness would do to _him,_ he knew he couldn't do that to Orihime. He wanted to be there for her, to be _with her,_ no matter what that entailed. So, with the giddiness of a smitten school boy, he nudged his arm back against her shoulder, warmth squeezing his heart and spreading outward to his limbs when she kept herself there, her head eventually resting against his arm as she cradled their now shared coffee in her hands.

"Kurosaki-kun?" she asked several moments later, the quiet between them easy for a change.

"Hmm?" he hummed in response, the pressure against her shoulder only slightly decreasing as he turned slightly to look down at her. Her warmth against him left as she handed him the coffee, its contents more than half gone by now. He swirled it in his hand, absently waiting for her to finish.

"Do you do this often? I always thought you had missed class because you were dealing with hollows…" Her words trailed off, unsure how to phrase exactly what she wanted to say and hoping he understood regardless.

Clearing his throat, Ichigo felt his insides clench nervously. All warmth he had gained from Orihime was gone, until she pressed softly against him once more, the touch simultaneously soothing and distressing. "That's usually the case," he reluctantly admitted, taking a long swig of coffee to avoid saying anything more.

Orihime's brows drew down in a frown, a crease forming between her eyebrows as she looked up at Ichigo with curiosity. He hadn't moved away from her, his strength leaning into her pleasantly, but he hadn't exactly answered her question either. "Why is this different?" she murmured, her words all but lost on the gentle breeze that ruffled her hair.

Despite her nearly inaudible question, Ichigo felt heat prickle the back of his neck and attempted to shove it down where it belonged before she noticed his rising temperature. He couldn't very well tell her he was too aggravated to go to class after nearly being called out on his own bullshit; that he had trained so hard over the weekend because it was the only way he could soothe the fierce ache in his chest that often sank into his belly at her mere presence; that he'd finally come to realize that he was in love with her… Clearing his throat again, he pushed himself away from the railing with a firm sense of finality, forcing himself to meet Orihime's surprisingly concerned gaze. The snow reflecting in the stormy depths of her eyes nearly took his breath away. "Can I take you somewhere?"

His question took her completely by surprise. "Uh, huh?" she stuttered, taking a step back from him and hitting her hip hard against the railing in the process. "What?" She blinked up at him questioningly.

The hand not holding his coffee moved to rub the back of his neck nervously. "Can I take you somewhere?" he asked again, his eyes not leaving hers.

Her surprise melting into happiness, Orihime clasped her hands in front of her chest, scarcely suppressing a pleased squeal as she bounced up onto her toes. "Of course!"

* * *

 _A/N: We're getting close to the moment everyone's been waiting for (myself included)! I've only done this once before, with this story too, ironically, but I'm going to ask for your help. I already have a few songs in mind for the dance (no, nothing will really include lyrics d/t copyright issues), but it's good for the right feels. Do y'all have any you would like/would recommend? Just a thought! Shoot me a PM or reply in the comments and we'll see if your song gets included!_


	18. Chapter 18

_A/N: A quick note before we begin. First off, I am SO sorry I've been MIA. I was hoping to get this out much sooner than I did (story of my life). I have lots of stuff written for later, but I have to get there. LoL. This chapter originally had more to it, but rather than make you keep waiting, I split things up. Anyway, thank you thank you thank you to all of you who have followed, favorited, and commented on this story. This is my longest FanFiction to date, and dare I say my own favorite. Your kind words feed my soul, so please, keep them coming!_

 _And here's a caveat, if you care to read it. I know I've said it before, but I'm not 100% caught up to what happens through all of Hueco Mundo in the anime, but I've seen/read/heard lots of spoilers. Therefore, there may be some inconsistencies in my story to canon, but please forgive me. I now already know of some and am dreading going back to fix things, but at some point I will (most likely, lol). That said, please forgive anything that isn't 100% canon compliant. While I try, I know it's not. Also, I have taken certain liberties with aspects of this story – part of writing FanFiction! While it's great to hear/see where certain events can/will take place, there's a reason for what I'm doing, which once we get to the proper point, I will explain if any of you care to know. So, please enjoy, and please take this for what it is – my work of fiction and something I'd like to see happen. Sorry for the long note, please enjoy!_

* * *

"Can I take you somewhere?"

The words echoed in Orihime's mind, the soft way he'd asked making her want to melt into a puddle and scream out of happiness at the same time. He'd acted… No, was acting… nervous. Something she never would have expected to see in the powerful substitute soul reaper. She couldn't remember a time when he hadn't looked upon any and all obstacles and challenges with nothing but resolute determination. Although she could safely assume that wasn't true – he had thoughts, feelings, and insecurities just like everyone else – he was just better at hiding them than anyone else she knew, even if he was slowly lowering his walls around her. Regardless, she hadn't been able to stop her own reaction, scarcely holding in the excited squeal that bubbled up in her throat as she bounced up onto her toes – a rather subdued reaction in comparison to the elation running through her. "Of course!"

Ichigo smiled at her answer, his shoulders visibly relaxing as he turned towards the steps at their left. Orihime couldn't hear it, but he let out a quiet, pent up breath once she'd answered him, the nervousness leaving him with his breath as he held his arm out to her like an escort. She looked at his arm, then up at him, then back at his arm, confusion clearly written across her features. He simply shrugged, trying to act nonchalant when he was mentally kicking himself. First asking her on what could easily be construed as a date, and then offering his arm as though they were back in the fifties or something? What was he thinking?! Outwardly, his smile turned lopsided as he shrugged. "The stairs are probably still slippery."

It was an honest enough excuse. She'd already slipped and nearly fallen just a few short minutes before and that wasn't taking into account the numerous times he'd already caught her in the recent weather. Even as heat peppered her cheeks in embarrassment, her lips turned into a tight smile before she looped her arm through his. It wasn't until Ichigo could feel the warmth of her side against his arm that he moved, taking his time down the stairs. They were actually less slippery than the few she had to come down to find him, but he didn't care. Once Orihime was on his arm, he felt like nothing else mattered.

Having Ichigo at her side, leading her somewhere by the arm, Orihime struggled to keep her thoughts under control. The little blue men took what was happening and _ran_ with it, her heart hammering against her chest as she walked beside him, not letting go of his arm even after they left the stairs behind them. Ideas and possibilities swirled through her mind like a blinding blizzard, and before she knew it, they'd walked several blocks in companionable silence, the only sound the crunching of their shoes on the snow and ice.

It was a particular thought that brought Orihime from her inner musings, finally able to ignore the little blue men that so often distracted her. Her mind was rushing ahead, thinking to what would happen when their little "escapade" was over. Was Ichigo going to walk her home? Would they end up meeting up with the others? Dare she try to hug him again before he left? Even more nerve-wracking, what might _he_ do before leaving? She thought about the coffee cup once more, the thought that their lips had touched the same object one-right-after-the-other in an indirect kiss heating her cheeks and allowing a cautious hope to take root in her heart. Just as that hope took root, she stepped off the curb wrong, her ankle slightly rolling before she slipped off its slick surface. It wasn't enough to cause her to fall, but her grip tightened on Ichigo's arm enough that he spun to catch her other shoulder in his free hand, all but tossing the coffee to the side in his haste as she yelped in surprise.

"Shit! Are you okay?" His eyes were wide as they glanced quickly back and forth between her own.

Sighing, Orihime quickly dropped her gaze and nodded. Why was she so clumsy? Was it that impossible to focus on walking properly while also thinking of other things? He was certainly going to get tired of catching her all the time… "Yes, I'm fine," she mumbled. As soon as she recalled his coffee, now spilt across the snow, her eyes shot back up to his, her free hand coming up to rest on his chest as though it were perfectly natural for her to do so. "Kurosaki-kun, your coffee!"

The hand that had been gripping her shoulder slid down, trailing the length of her arm before releasing her completely as he shrugged. The movement alone spoke of his reluctance to release her, but Orihime was too distracted to notice; just as Ichigo was too distracted by her hand on his chest to realize how he'd dragged his fingers down her arm. As if they were in perfect sync, they both released each other at the same time. "Don't worry about it." His voice was soft and low, almost a mumble.

Normally she would argue, but it would seem she was not herself, much as Ichigo was not acting like himself. Instead, she tightened her grip on his arm, bringing him back to the task at hand with a nervous giggle as she experimentally rolled her ankle. Thankfully, it wasn't even all that sore. For once the curve in the sidewalk that had led to her slip in the first place had actually ended up in her favor. "Where are we going, anyway?" she asked, trying to change the subject and because she hadn't really been paying attention to where they were going.

They were moving once more, Ichigo's arm still held captive by Orihime's. In truth, he hadn't been thinking about their destination all that much, he'd simply had a fleetting idea and ran with it – something he often did in battle. The irony that he was comparing their outing to a battle in his mind was not lost on him; the fact that he would be less nervous squaring off against some enemy even more so. "Ah, I figured we'd go to the Sweet Shop."

Orihime's heart skipped a beat. She loved the place; but didn't know Ichigo even knew of its existence. "The Sweet Shop?"

Ichigo could feel her eyes on him, questioning with her gentle gaze. Butterflies fluttered uncomfortably in his stomach as he racked his brain for his reasoning behind such a destination. It wasn't like he loved sweets, but he knew Orihime did. Still, that wasn't exactly why he chose to go there. Pondering his answer, his eyes were naturally drawn to his right hand and wrist, the wound that had healed seemingly on its own after his failed encounter with GrimmJow; the hand that had Orihime's reiatsu clinging to it when he'd woken up only to discover she was missing. The memory was both pleasant and horrifying, causing his brows to draw down into a frown as he searched for his answer.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime whispered nervously when he remained silent, his eyes on his right hand for some reason she couldn't fathom. Without realizing it, she squeezed the arm she continued to hold, successfully breaking the substitute soul reaper from his reverie.

"Oh! Right," he chuckled nervously, running his right hand through the hair at the back of his neck before looking at her with a shrug. "I feel like I've heard you say something about wanting to visit a donut shop and try everything? Or maybe it was ice cream?" His brows furrowed once more, but this time in thought, his eyes growing distant as he searched his memory. "I can't really remember…"

Orihime gasped and immediately pulled back from Ichigo's arm, panic gripping her chest at his scattered memory. Her hands moved in front of her mouth nervously, belatedly trying to mask her sudden intake of breath. Had he _heard_ her?! She'd said such desires to him before leaving for Hueco Mundo, among other things she didn't think he'd _hear_ let alone _remember!_ She was supposed to be intangible at the time, wasn't she? That was why she'd felt so comfortable pouring her heart out to him, baring the truth of her feelings. _Oh, Kami! What if he heard me?! What am I going to do?!_

Hearing her quiet gasp and feeling the tug of her arm as she slipped from his grip, Ichigo stopped and turned to look at her, confusion evident in his gaze as he searched her face. "Inoue?" he breathed, the startled look in her eyes throwing off every alarm bell he had in his mind. _Shit! What did I say?!_ "D-did I say something wrong?"

Mortified, Orihime shook her head, her voice momentarily frozen in her suddenly tight throat. She'd never admitted to him what she'd done, that she'd gone to his room to say goodbye to him, thinking she'd never see him or any of her friends again. He'd never said anything to hint that he'd been aware of her presence or known what she did, and she'd been content to keep it that way. What if he found out and it scared him off? Or worse, what if it made him angry? She wasn't sure she could handle being spurned in such a way; but even so, she couldn't lie to him. She _wouldn't._ "No, you didn't say anything wrong," she breathed, her hands slowly lowering from her face to clasp together in front of her chest.

Ichigo's eyes searched hers as he tried to piece together what was happening. "Then what is it?"

Steeling herself, Orihime closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. She tried to conjure an image of Tatsuki in her mind, encouraging (or maybe even threatening) her to be honest, reminding her that this was _Ichigo_ and she had nothing to fear from him. With a quick clearing of her throat, she giggled nervously before opening her eyes and waving a hand in front of her dismissively. "It's silly really."

Even though a large part of him wanted to throw in the towel, to bolt away from whatever this was, Ichigo took a step closer, unable to resist the even larger part of him that simply wanted to know more about the auburn-haired healer that had stolen his heart, and apparently some of his sanity too. "I doubt that," he muttered, surprised by how gruff his own voice sounded once he finally spoke.

Orihime suddenly wished they were somewhere else, somewhere other than the corner of the street in perfect view of anyone who happened to be passing by. She wasn't sure _how_ to say what she wanted to say but felt that it could be better said anywhere other than where they were. Or was that just her way of trying to avoid the topic? Folding one arm across her belly to grip the opposite elbow, she chewed on her bottom lip a moment before quietly coming clean. "To tell the truth, I have said that before." When her eyes skittered across his, Ichigo's furrowed brow told her he didn't understand. She immediately looked down, toeing the snowy sidewalk. "When I said goodbye to you."

Physically taking a step back, Ichigo's surprise was clearly written all over his face, his eyes wide and lips slightly parted. "Huh? What do you mean 'when you said goodbye to me'? When did this happen?" Despite the crassness he was well known for, his words were spoken kindly, confused but not irritated. It was enough to bring Orihime's eyes up to meet his once more.

"Before I left for Hueco Mundo, I visited you in your room." She swallowed, allowing the words to hang in the air between them a moment before continuing. "You were still injured and recovering from your fight with GrimmJow." Her eyes fell to his right hand, now whole and full of the strength he was so well known for. Before she could stop herself, she reached out and grabbed it, turning his hand over to look at his roughened palm. One hand held his gently captive while the other slid the cuff of his coat up, exposing all that remained of what had been a horrible wound – a faint scar that traveled between the bones in his forearm behind his wrist. How he hadn't bled to death was still a mystery, the scar clearly intersecting several veins but somehow missing the largest one and main arteries. As she trailed her fingertips down the marred skin of his scar, she could still see his blood dripping from his arm as clearly as if it was still happening; his crimson life force darkening the snow at their feet. Ulquiorra allowing her to see her friends in combat had been both a blessing and a curse, since she saw him so horribly wounded but had been unable to do anything about it. The helplessness she had felt seeing him pinned to the ground and yet silent through such pain caused a lump to form in the back of her throat and heat to prickle her eyes.

Ichigo couldn't help but shiver at Orihime's ghost-like touch against his wrist, scarcely concealing his quiet intake of breath as she traced the still sensitive skin. His fingers twitched as she neared his wrist, his desire to take her hand in his nearly overpowering his senses. The way she was touching him was gentler than ever before, and that knowledge somehow made her skin against his that much more sensual.

"I didn't expect to see you again." Her voice had dropped to a near whisper by the time she was done, nearly strangled by the lump in her throat; and even though her mind screamed at her to drop his hand, her heart told her otherwise, her nerves singing at the sensation of his bare skin against hers.

Distracted as he was by her feather light touch, thoughts and questions flew through Ichigo's mind faster than he could give voice to them. She'd visited him in his room? But how had she gotten in there? Why would she have chosen to say goodbye to him? Did she say goodbye to the others? If she didn't, why did she only say goodbye to him? Had she meant to heal him? Even though he wanted to ask all these things, he simply watched her, her lower lip pulled between her teeth once more as she delicately traced the tips of her fingers along the lines of his hand and the veins visible at his wrist. It was hard to suppress the shiver her gentleness elicited, his entire spine and shoulders quivering from her touch that sent pleasant tingles up his entire arm. "Did you know you healed me?" His voice was so deep and rough from their encounter, murmuring as though he didn't want anyone to overhear them.

"I-what?" her voice was high and squeaky in her surprise.

He smiled crookedly, a gentle shrug rising his shoulders a moment. "When I woke up, I was completely healed. I didn't know what had happened, but I could feel your reiatsu clinging to my wrist – like you'd been there only I couldn't figure out how or why." He paused a moment as what he said sunk in, Orihime's widening eyes proving as much. "Now I do."

"I didn't know," she began, her eyes falling to his hand with a newfound curiosity. She'd been worried about him when she visited him, that much was true, but she'd touched his hand without the intent to heal him. Is that when she became capable of healing without saying any commands? But her fairies hadn't shown themselves either… Although those questions lurked in the back of her mind, she was more focused on what else she'd said and almost did that night. As much as she wanted to know if he'd remembered any of _that_ , she would not bring it up. She _couldn't_.

"I never got to say this before, but thank you."

Orihime was unable to stop the shiver that traveled down her back at his quiet whisper. His words reverberated through her, causing her eyes to momentarily drift closed as a pleasant warmth flooded her being. He'd taken another step closer as he spoke, the space between them nearly non-existent despite the fact that she still held his hand in her own. "You never have to thank me, Kurosaki-kun," she breathed as she slowly opened her eyes once more. Even though she could feel his eyes on her, the warmth from his chocolate depths all but melting her insides, she couldn't meet his gaze. Despite that, somehow his words and stillness calmed her thrumming nerves, her fingers no longer shaking as they delicately felt along the tendons in his wrist, his pulse strong and steady beneath her fingers. If he weren't wearing such a heavy coat, she would run her fingers up his arm, eventually reaching the area of his chest that had gone hollow _twice._ Even if she couldn't do that, she was surprised at her own nearly undeniable urge to do so – to touch him so brazenly. She would have been surprised to know that Ichigo was experiencing the same dilemma; both wanting to take her chin in his hand and claim her lips, and yet afraid to do so. He couldn't even trust himself to just enfold her in his arms. A powerful undercurrent was charging the air between them, his very soul drawn to hers, but he didn't trust himself not to do or say something that might forever change things between them. He wasn't ready for that yet. Or was he?

A passing car caught their attention, the tires crunching on the icy road and bringing their eyes up from where they'd both rested on their joined hands. They'd drifted together without conscious thought, the width of Ichigo's hand all that separated them from touching. With almost identical speed, they stepped back, ceasing all contact with a nervous chuckle from Ichigo as he tugged his now freed hand through his hair and an anxious giggle from Orihime as she clasped her hands together in front of her chest. Their cheeks darkened just as quickly as they'd separated, their hearts equally racing and yet light, like rabbits in the woods.

"Shall we get going?" Ichigo finally asked, extending his hand forward to indicate their direction of travel. The Sweet Shop was only a few blocks away.

Without pausing to think of her actions (something she was starting to do more often than was probably good for her), Orihime bounced back to his side, taking his right arm and clasping it between both of hers. It was strange and yet comforting how easy such contact between them had become. In fact, it was so easy, it was beginning to feel like walking together in such a manner was their _normal_ , and anything else just didn't make sense. It was also only too easy – and more than a little tempting – to alter their contact in the slightest and actually slip her hand into his. Even if it was what her heart wanted, she wasn't brave enough for that – not just yet. She would have been surprised to know Ichigo's fingers twitched at her touch, that he was physically restraining himself from boldly taking her hand himself.

"Of course!"

Her beaming smile and delicate voice that rang like a bell was all Ichigo needed to smile down at her, that true and easy smile he saved just for her, and lead her forward once more. Their interaction on the corner was still fresh in his mind, but rather than dwell on it, he chose to look forward. He'd figure out what the hell had just happened later.

* * *

They entered The Sweet Shop less than twenty minutes later, their cheeks now pink from the cold more so than embarrassment. Orihime did not let go of Ichigo's arm until he stepped forward to open the door for her, holding it open as she passed by in front of him with the cutest dip to her head in thanks. He was smiling when he entered the small shop behind her as though it was the most natural thing in the world. A small bell rang, indicating to the shop owner that they'd entered.

On the small side, The Sweet Shop sported teal walls, the color both a little too bright and yet perfect for the ambiance of the shop. Several small tables and chairs dotted the dining space, the black and white tile floor in stark contrast to the walls and pastel colored chairs and tables. The display counter was completely glass, running partway along two walls, leaving space for the servers to work behind. One side was nearly frosted, especially close to the bottom, and filled with more ice cream flavors than Ichigo even knew existed. The other contained cooled pies, cakes, and other delicacies. Several racks behind the counter displayed donuts, bagels, and other pastries available for sale. As though an afterthought, a coffee machine and frozen beverage maker sat side-by-side just to the left of the register. It was garish and yet welcoming and Ichigo immediately understood why Orihime liked the place so much.

"Kurosaki-Kun!" Orihime exclaimed with a happy bounce on her toes as she spun to look at him. "Look at all the choices!"

Ichigo couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped his throat at her excitement. Her smile was radiant, brightening the already bright shop to the point that he felt like he had to squint or risk blindness. When Orihime jumped back to his side, easily taking his arm in her own once more, his heart did a strange little flip in his chest.

' _ **Well, well, well. She's got you wrapped around her pretty little finger, doesn't she?'**_

The shop keeper was just making his way around from the kitchen when Ichigo's hollow chose to tease him. He smiled upon seeing the two teenagers before him, despite the fact that he immediately knew they should be in school. From the way the girl's eyes shone and the guy's eyes softened upon looking at her, he immediately pegged them as a new couple. "Hello! What can I get ya?" he asked, smiling pleasantly even as he had to look up in order to see over the glass display counter.

Managing to not react outwardly to his hollow, Ichigo inwardly shrugged to indicate that he no longer cared. _**'Your point?'**_ To Orihime, he gently nudged her forward with the arm she held captive. "I don't know about one of everything in one visit, but take your pick."

Orihime's eyes nearly doubled in size at his words, her stormy depths crashing into his as her mouth fell open in shock. "Kurosaki-kun! I couldn't possibly!"

 _It gives me an excuse to bring her back here,_ Ichigo was surprisingly ready to admit his ulterior motive to himself. While it hadn't been his intention in bringing her to the shop, it certainly conveniently worked out that way. Even with how much food the auburn-haired healer could manage to put away, there was simply _no way_ she could eat one of everything in one sitting. "Come on, Inoue," he teased. "We can just keep coming back until you've had one of each flavor."

 _Did he just?_ Orihime couldn't even finish the thought, her mind going blank as her breath stilled in her throat. The shop keep's gentle clearing of his throat brought her back to the present. "Well, I don't know about you, miss, but if you're planning on trying one of everything, might I suggest a system to keep track?"

Orihime had never given her donut and ice cream desire much thought, at least not enough to figure out how she would accomplish it. It had been a fleeting fantasy, just like how she'd nearly kissed Ichigo – as though she could even accomplish either of those things! And, if she was honest with herself, her desire to kiss Ichigo was _far_ from fleeting – in fact it was only getting worse. Now, suddenly at least one of those dreams was becoming a reality. Sadly, it wasn't the one she wanted the most, but she'd _never_ divulge that little secret. Not even to Tatsuki. Instead, she put the first finger of her free hand against her chin, looking up at the donut options in thought before turning her gaze to Ichigo's. "Please tell me you'll be eating some of these too, Kurosaki-kun."

The pleading edge to Orihime's voice brought an involuntary smile to Ichigo's lips. He wanted to share everything with her, no matter how big or small it might be, and that sudden intense desire startled him, but no longer scared him. "Of course," he answered after a moment's pause. "Now, I know it's not an ice cream truck, but ice cream or donuts?"

One of the keep's large eyebrows quirked up at Ichigo's remark. _Ice cream, when it's this cold outside?!_ Regardless, he wouldn't say anything.

A soft gasp escaped her as Orihime turned to look up at Ichigo so quickly her hair tumbled over her shoulder. "You remember _that?_ " she breathed, her own pulse suddenly loud in her ears.

His brow furrowing as though trying to remember, Ichigo nodded, his eyes momentarily leaving hers in thought before returning. "I think so. Right?"

 _Oh please, Kami, don't remember anything else!_ She wanted to scream out her angst, both excited and terrified of him remembering anything else. She'd said much more intimate things, held his hand in a manner most unfit for a "friend", admitted the deepest desire in her heart, and had stopped herself from kissing him only a hair's breadth away from his lips! If he remembered _any_ of that, she'd surely die of embarrassment. But the way he was looking at her quickly set her fears aside and Orihime decided to shove them down, ignoring them in favor of enjoying this sweet moment. This time, she twisted her hips side to side in thought, a gentle hum leaving her throat before she beamed another blinding smile. "Ice cream!"

His smile only growing, Ichigo nodded in acknowledgement. "Ice cream it is." Since his arm was still held captive in hers, he gently nudged her to the left, so she could choose her flavors. She moved as though she perfectly understood, as though it was perfectly natural for him to silently guide her and her to bring him along wherever she went. _I might regret this,_ he admitted to himself as he recalled her _interesting_ choices of food. But when she jumped slightly and pointed, he was pleasantly surprised.

"Oh! Should we just start at this end and work our way down?" Orihime chirped, unaware of the way she squeezed Ichigo's arm into her breast with the sudden movement.

Momentarily stunned, Ichigo took a stuttering breath before he trusted his voice. _She's going to kill me,_ he whined, while at the same time enjoying himself. "Sure?" he rasped, debating if it might be a good idea to remove himself from her grasp or risk further contact that was definitely too intimate for friends, no matter how much he secretly enjoyed it.

Oblivious to what she was putting Ichigo through, Orihime took several small steps to the right, eying the numerous choices before her. Even though she would be fine with bizarre combinations like spicy cinnamon with pistachio and watermelon, she wanted to make sure that _wouldn't_ be the case – she didn't want to make Ichigo sick after finally getting him out of whatever funk he'd been in earlier. To her pleasant surprise, the choices were grouped together in similar tastes and styles. There would be little risk to Ichigo's stomach. Smiling, she tugged Ichigo back to the far left of the ice cream counter, indicating the first five options in front of them: strawberry cheesecake, chocolate strawberry, razzleberry, vanilla bean, and chocolate. The shop keeper's eyes got wider and wider with each choice, but unquestioningly put the desired scoops into a large bowl. Once all the scoops were situated, he looked at Orihime, her eyes shining in her excitement. "Will that be all?"

Ichigo hadn't been paying attention, his mind too focused on the sensation of Orihime on his arm, the sound of her tinkling voice as she made her choices. Each time she squeezed his arm gently, something he suspected she was unaware of doing. Even though his eyes had been on her, drinking in her excited smile, her swaying hair, and the gentle bounce she gave with each exclaimed choice, she still took him by surprise when she looked up at him and asked, "I think that's plenty. Don't you, Kurosaki-kun?"

The sound of his name on her lips suddenly brought him back to reality, and Ichigo shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts. Without looking at her choices, he quickly nodded and reached into his pocket for his wallet. "Sure."

As the shop keeper rang up their order and Ichigo had to pull his arm from her grasp to pilfer through his wallet, Orihime's mouth fell open in shock and she quickly grabbed the sleeve of his coat. "Kurosaki-kun! I can't let you pay for all this!" she hissed quietly, not wanting to make a scene.

Her adamance brought a crooked smile back to Ichigo's lips as he pointedly ignored her. "This was my idea, Inoue. I'm paying."

"But-"

He finally looked at her, the molten depths of his eyes flashing in the fluorescent light. If she didn't know better, she'd say he was angry. The gentle way he placed his free hand on top of hers clearly said otherwise. "No."

Orihime swallowed at the brusqueness behind his refusal, her eyes falling to her toes as Ichigo slid his hand off hers in order to pay. To her surprise, he had the shop keeper transfer their five scoops into a waffle bowl and before she could recover, he had grabbed two spoons and elbowed her gently in the side before heading toward a booth in the back. "Come on, Inoue."

Her eyes wide, Orihime couldn't help but stare at Ichigo's retreating back, the words _this feels like a date_ running through her mind on repeat. The thought only made her heart flutter nervously in her chest, making her stomach roll, as she hurried to catch up to him. The hand he'd touched for just a moment still felt warm. "Thank you, Kurosaki-kun," she murmured the moment she reached his side.

He smiled and shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

When they reached the booth, Ichigo had a moment of debate, wanting to sit next to the auburn-haired healer and yet afraid to. They'd shared several meals together at this point, not including lunch at school with their friends, but this felt decidedly different – much like their "lunch date" at the mall. It was disconcerting and yet exciting all at once and for the first time since she'd asked him to the dance, he found himself wishing it was Friday already.

With an unspoken consent, they sat across from each other, Ichigo depositing the mountainous scoops of ice cream between them and sticking Orihime's spoon into the frozen dessert. She smiled up at him as he sat down, stabbing his own spoon into the ice cream in the process.

"Well, which do you want to try first?" Ichigo asked once they were both situated.

Pulling her spoon from the ice cream, Orihime looked at the dessert before them as though she had to study it. Her tongue peeked out from between her lips for a moment before she decidedly dipped her spoon into the strawberry cheesecake, her cheeks warming to a matching shade of pink when she internally admitted her reasons for choosing that particular flavor first. "This one!" she exclaimed.

Ichigo fought to keep his mouth closed in his surprise at her choice, a tight band of warmth squeezing his heart pleasantly as she pulled her spoon out of the ice cream and popped it into her mouth. Not wanting to stare, he dropped his gaze to the frozen dessert between them and quickly scooped some strawberry ice cream onto his own spoon. While they weren't sharing spoons, it dawned on him how natural it was to share things with her, things he normally wouldn't even share with his own sisters. Before he knew it, they'd devoured the strawberry and moved on to the darker pink ice cream that had streaks of brown running through it as the chocolate strawberry.

Few words were spoken between them, but there was no need. When their spoons occasionally clacked together, they simply looked up at each other and smiled, lips held tight over their teeth as nerves finally held them hostage. Orihime could feel her face heating up, a blush no doubt darkening her cheeks that was only made worse when she realized Ichigo's face seemed darker than usual as well. Even though she was nervous, she also felt _at peace_ , like she was where she belonged, and it was something she wanted to hold onto.

They had just barely broken into the chocolate when Ichigo's soul badge went off. In the process of gathering more ice cream on their spoons, the two froze, their faces mirror images of surprise before Ichigo set his spoon down on his breached side of the waffle bowl and reached for the soul badge in his pocket.

' _ **You've got to be fucking kidding me!'**_ he groused inwardly, not really wanting or expecting a response from his hollow.

' _ **Man, King, you just can't catch a break!'**_ Despite his words, his hollow cackled mercilessly.

When Ichigo stared at the soul badge for longer than usual, Orihime's brow furrowed and she set her own spoon down. "What is it?" she asked, careful to keep her voice low.

"Looks like Matsumoto and Hitsugaya are on it," he replied, eyes still on the screen.

Orihime could feel the word coming, even though he hadn't said it yet, and tension slowly wound itself between her shoulders. "But?" she encouraged, looking from the soul badge up to Ichigo's darkened face.

"But there's a lot," he sighed, leaning back against the seat of the booth with dejection clearly written across his features. He was too damn sore to deal with this! Risking a glance at the soul badge again, his brow fell into his typical frown. "Rukia's joining them," he sighed.

Not knowing what he was looking at was killing her, and so Orihime quickly slid out of her seat and into Ichigo's side of the booth, brushing against his side since he didn't move. His eyes quickly met hers, before darting back to his badge. Even with Rukia's presence, there were still far too many hollows. What was worse, some were appearing near their location. "Fuck!" Ichigo hissed, finally admitting that break time was over. "I've got to handle this."

Orihime would have immediately stood, but instead she remained seated, her eyes filled with resolve when he looked at her once more. "Take me with you." It wasn't a request.

"You think I'd leave you behind?" The words spilled from his lips before he could stop them, and Ichigo physically had to restrain himself from covering his mouth in surprise. Orihime's only reaction to his question was a widening of her eyes – a positive sign – before breaking into a smile.

* * *

 _As always, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. I just love them and love writing about them. Tite Kubo has all rights to Bleach and the characters, I just own this story._


	19. Chapter 19

_I can't believe I forgot to say this at the beginning of the last update, but a huge THANK YOU to all of you that sent me song ideas. I have listened to them and am taking into account what I want to happen and how, and if I can work those songs in there, you'll know! So, stay tuned! And if anyone else has song ideas for the dance, or if you think of more, feel free to send them my way! As always, thank you for following, favoriting, or commenting on this story. Your love keeps me going!_

* * *

Within moments of the page, Ichigo and Orihime found themselves out in the cold once more, having successfully hidden Ichigo's body in The Sweet Shop's bathroom – there simply was no other option. As much as he hated to do it, Ichigo found the stall in the back, lowered the lid, sat down, and went to lean his head against the wall. He hadn't expected Orihime to follow him this far, but suddenly she was before him, a bundle of paper towels held in her hands.

"Wait!" she whisper-shouted, making him sit up straight once more, the hand holding his soul badge dropping back into his lap in his surprise.

Without a word, Orihime stepped into the stall with him, carefully folding the paper towels so they were several layers thick and gently pressing them to his cheek and temple. If it had been any other situation, the contact would have felt intimate, and despite what they were trying to do, Ichigo felt his stomach flip at the way her small hand pressed against his cheek. With her guidance (and only the slightest tremble in her hand), he finally rested his head against the wall, safely protected from the potentially nasty surface thanks to Orihime's quick thinking, and slammed the soul badge against his chest. When he stood up in Shinigami form, he scowled at the pitiful state he had to leave himself in, his body now limp against the wall as though he'd passed out drunk. _Where's Kon when I fucking need him?!_

A few miles away, Kon sneezed.

Now that they were both standing, it became painfully obvious how cramped the small bathroom stall was. With Zangetsu at his back, Ichigo had to be careful, standing away from the walls of the stall and his own legs so as not to knock anything over (including himself); the result being that the two suddenly found themselves all but pressed against each other. The sudden crowding of the space made Orihime take a step back, stumbling slightly in the process, only to bump into the corner of the wall and the stall at her back.

"Sorry!" she squeaked, just as Ichigo whisper-shouted, "Sorry!"

Giggling, Orihime waved her hands nervously in front of her face, her voice suddenly robbed from her as Ichigo seemed to loom very large in front of her.

"Let's get out of here before he notices we've gone."

"Kurosaki-kun, I can't very well walk out the front door without you," she reasoned.

 _If we don't appear out there soon, he might think_ something else _is up in the bathrooms…_ Ichigo mused, the thought oddly satisfying as an image of Orihime pressed between the wall and himself suddenly flashed through his mind so vividly it could have been a memory; until he quashed it, that is.

' _ **Whoa there, King! Gettin' some ideas, are you?'**_

Ichigo's only response to his hollow was a scowl, but he carefully avoided Orihime's eyes, both exhilarated and ashamed by the provocative images that flitted through his mind. "Then we better go out the window."

Noticing an odd ring to Ichigo's voice, his tone deeper and somehow even sexier than it usually was, Orihime looked up at Ichigo, his face in profile as he finally turned from her and side-stepped out of the bathroom stall. _Is he blushing?!_ She almost couldn't believe her eyes, not that he gave her much time to think about it. It took little effort for him to pull the window open, and even less for him to boost Orihime out of it, linking his fingers together to form a step for her.

Orihime had scarcely reached the ground before Ichigo landed beside her, his face serious as his eyes scanned their surroundings. It didn't take long to decipher which direction the hollows were in, and this time he stooped down in front of Orihime without a word.

Riding on Ichigo's back the previous week had been a pleasant ordeal, even though she had been terribly nervous. Now, looking at the broad expanse he was offering her, she couldn't help but somehow feel even more anxious. Every touch between them seemed to hold new meaning, and she wasn't sure she could handle being pressed against his back with his hands under her thighs and maintain her sanity. "Are you sure?" she whispered, jumping in surprise when she realized she'd said the words out loud.

His soreness and growing unease over the number of hollows he could now sense getting the better of him, Ichigo retorted, "You have any better ideas?"

"Right," Orihime sighed in reply, quickly stepping forward and looping her arms around his shoulders. Like a strange, coordinated dance, she hitched first one leg up near his hip and once he grabbed it and began to stand, she easily hitched up the other. He only stood in place a moment, hoisting her up gently so they were both more comfortable and Orihime was more safely positioned around Zangetsu, before tilting his head to the side and back so he could look at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Ready?"

Knowing full well what was coming, she closed her eyes and nodded, gently lowering her face to his shoulder so that he could feel her nod just as much as see it. His only response was a gentle squeezing of where he held her thighs before taking off in a flash-step.

Despite his warning, Orihime still squealed quietly when he took off, her arms automatically tightening around his shoulders to keep herself from jostling too much as the world flew by them in a white-gray blur. The chill in the air cut into Orihime's cheeks and stung her eyes so much that she buried her face against Ichigo's shoulders, Zangetsu close to her cheek as she used Ichigo's body to block the worst of the freezing wind. Even though she'd ridden on his back while he shunpo'd before, he was clearly pushing it; moving so fast that there was no need to launch them up onto any of the nearby buildings – no one other than those familiar with the soul society and spirits could see them. Blinded as she was in her current position, she could sense the hollows heading their way at an alarming rate; and when she dared open her eyes and peer over Ichigo's shoulder, she could see as well as sense the flashes and spiritual pressure from the other soul reapers, battling what she could only assume to be the other, larger group of hollows. She could see the clouds swirling in the distance, gathering and darkening with Hitsugaya's commands, the red Hikotsu Taiho from Zabimaru's Bankai, giant columns of ice from Rukia, and even faint wisps like smoke from Heineko.

Little did she know Ichigo's eyes were drawn in the same direction, a sinking feeling forming in the pit of his stomach from the large barrage of attacks he could see with only a cursory sweep of his eyes. _What the fuck is going on?_ His thoughts raced even as he scanned their surroundings for their foe. _Is this more fallout from the mistake the R & D department made? Why haven't they fixed it already?!_ His irritation was palpable as his shoulders tensed beneath Orihime, his grip on her tightening with his rising unease.

"Kurosaki-kun?" she asked, just as he skidded to a stop. She scarcely managed to avoid cracking the front of her skull against the back of his head.

"Kami," he breathed, deaf to her question as his eyes scanned upward. His hands automatically loosed her from his back, his eyes growing wide at the site before them. He scarcely noticed the way she slid off of him, her feet dangling in the air a moment before she touched down and moved to step out from behind him. He moved automatically, putting his left arm out in front of her to keep her back while his right reached for Zangetsu, all without taking his eyes off the hollows in front of them.

"What," Orihime started, her eyes quickly following Ichigo's. What she saw made her gasp and grasp the back of his shihakusho.

A group of hollows had gathered in the field before them, the site normally used for baseball games when the season was right. Thankfully, this meant there were no people around, the fields covered with virgin snow, the stands and dugouts barren and partially buried. While most hollows had a rudimentary similarity in shape, the hollows before them were all but identical with short but sturdy back legs and longer, thicker front legs – all of which appeared to be made of stacked boulders of varying number, their shapes oddly but neatly round. Their torsos were round and thick, made up of what looked like two giant boulders that were rougher in shape and not as mobile as the "legs". The hollows' "legs" rolled when they moved, making it easy for them to change direction and, Ichigo imagined, lash out with them. While there were no hands or feet, so to speak, the hollows could stack _themselves_ much as their legs were stacked, their towers at times as many as five high. Lacking necks, their heads were completely made up of their masks – and that was where they varied the most. Some masks resembled those of warriors, some lacked mouths, some ended with spiky prongs in the back, some were completely barren save for large holes in their white surface that could have served as eyes, but only displayed black emptiness, and some were already partially broken – chipped or cracked – in the smallest hollows. All of them looked at least as tall as a house on their own, so standing in front of them, Ichigo had to crane his neck to look up, as though looking up at a five-story building. It was rare to see hollows working in cooperation with each other, moving as though of a similar mind. While their size alone could be intimidating, even stacked they weren't quite as tall as a Menos Grande. Regardless, the earth shook beneath their feet each time they moved.

"Fuck me," Ichigo breathed, not completely aware that he'd even spoken out loud. Where before his hollow would crack a joke at such language, especially in such company, even he was too focused on what lay before them – his voice oddly silent even as he fed Ichigo strength. At first, Ichigo's instincts told him to force Orihime back, to keep her as far away from what he was seeing as possible, but he also knew that she wouldn't do that; that forcing her to run and hide while he fought was no longer an adequate solution when they were together (and in fact, even when they weren't). She'd proven her strength multiple times, and he knew he could depend on her, but this was something else entirely – it didn't _feel_ right. Shaking himself back into the present, he glanced back over his shoulder at Orihime, only vaguely aware that the back of his kosode was fisted in her hands. "You stay safe, okay?" was all he could bring himself to say before he flash-stepped toward them.

Orihime watched with wide eyes as Ichigo all but disappeared in front of her, the speed of his departure throwing her hair back over her shoulder and pulling his kosode from her grasp. He reappeared a moment later, leaping through the air while bringing Zangetsu down in front of him in a powerful stroke. The strike instantly cut through two hollows' masks, and they just happened to be two on the bottom of a hollow tower. They howled in distress as their masks shattered, their bodies turning to dark ash and disappearing out from under the hollows that had been on top of them. Once those three began to fall, chaos ensued.

The three falling hollows scrabbled for purchase on whatever they could find, which was the other hollows. While only one of them managed to keep from hitting the ground, it quickly started a squabble with the hollow it held onto – their boulder-like appendages shifting and moving, sometimes on one hollow before rolling under the other as though they had minds of their own. Ichigo saw the discord and immediately took advantage, launching off of the side of one hollow to cut through two more masks before he landed on the back of another. This hollow swung a giant arm his way with an unhappy hiss, the force of the blow ruffling Orihime's hair, even from a distance, as she watched with wide eyes. She wanted to help but didn't know what she could do. Then it came to her. "Tsubaki!" she cried, her hands going up to gently touch her pins.

Ichigo blocked the offensive strike with his blade, the weight behind the blow enough to drop him to his knee and force him back several feet. He dug in, leaning forward despite the groaning pain in his shoulders, but was still nearly thrown off the back of the hollow he had been riding on. Rather than risk falling, he parried the attack with a grunt and jumped, rising into the air with an upward vertical slash of Zangetsu that took out another hollow and sent a few more toppling. He clearly wasn't at his best, his movements slower, his chest already heaving with the effort, and his body already aching. "Damn it," he ground out, rolling his shoulders, before charging toward the second tower of hollows.

Tsubaki beat him to the punch. In fact, he almost missed the tiny red blur until he heard the sound of a sharp impact and saw the hollow's mask in front of him shatter like a windshield struck with a rock. A moment later and the shatter spread, spider-webbing out from the point of impact to crack the hollow's mask into large chunks that fell from the sky before the hollow began to disappear.

"Nice one!" he called down to Orihime, risking a quick smile at Tsubaki before he sliced through another hollow's mask.

"Keep your head in the game!" Tsubaki retorted as he zoomed past Ichigo's head, causing the substitute soul reaper to frown and shake his head in annoyance. The red fairy had always been the snarkiest.

They continued like this for what felt like hours but in reality, was less than thirty minutes. When Ichigo felt his stamina flagging, he noticed Orihime covering him more than once. Tsubaki wasn't always on the field, but he was often enough that even Ichigo was aware of the tiny fairy's panting breaths. It was when they had taken down the last tower of hollows, the spiritual beasts scattered around them, that things took a turn for the worst.

For most of the battle, Orihime had drawn little to no attention to herself, relying on Tsubaki to aid Ichigo offensively while she tried to give him a defensive edge with her Santen Kesshun. While the hollows themselves weren't overly powerful, their sheer size and number was proving to be more of a challenge than she expected. Once all of the hollows were on the ground, she had less room to work with, and was forced to start retreating to the stands in order to avoid being crushed. It was as she cautiously fell back that one hollow in particular noticed her, loosing a growling roar as Ichigo took out two hollows next to it. Its dark eyes focused on Orihime, it tucked its head down, and pushed off with its back legs, rolling into a tumble that quickly gained speed as it approached.

Orihime saw the hollow bearing down on her like its own version of a wrecking ball with dread. Even if she wasn't fighting quite like Ichigo was, her powers still drained her, and her breath came in ragged pants as she hurried her steps backwards while bringing her hands up to call on her Santen Kesshun. _I'm not going to make it!_

Just as the hollow was about to hit her shield, which was only a foot in front of her retreating form and shaking hands, an arc of black cut right through it, the edges jagged and red – it was Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho. While he had hit the hollow from behind, the attack held such force the hollow was cut cleanly in two, its halved pieces falling and rolling to the sides before it started to disappear.

When Orihime caught sight of Ichigo through the rising and disintegrating ash, it was like time itself slowed. Orange hair fluttered in the breeze, tufts of snow falling between them from where they'd been disturbed by his attack. His brows were lowered enough to form a crease between them, but his eyes nonetheless softened some once they met her own, even as they showed a trace of what he'd clearly held back. Black receded as he took a step back to steady himself, leaving the whites of his eyes intact, and the gold faded from his irises, revealing the warm chocolate she so loved. She was surprised to see how hard he was breathing, his chest rising and falling heavily with each breath. The fact that his left hand, the hand he often used to "pull on" his mask, was dropping away from his chest as though he'd thought about using it, sent a shiver down her spine. He'd gone into his Bankai, and clearly very nearly drew upon his hollow.

She no sooner saw him, then lost him, only for him to reappear at her side, his brows drawn fiercely low as he panted and thrust Zangestu into the ground with an eerie rattle of the chain at the hilt. A rough hand caught her chin, gently turning her head first to one side and then the other, his other hand gently pulling her hair back to get a better look at her neck as he searched her for injury. He didn't release her until he was satisfied, his eyes trailing over the rest of her with critical scrutiny. "Are you all right?" he asked, his voice deep and hoarse from the battle. His eyes blazed, the blue of his resolve shining through the otherwise dark depths.

Orihime's heart was pounding, and no longer just because of the hollows. Ichigo seemed completely unaware of what he was doing when he grabbed her, but he was still gentle, despite the almost angry look in his eyes. She hadn't seen his face set with such stern, infallible determination since he fought Ulquiorra. "I-I'm fine," she managed to murmur.

He swallowed at her words and took a small step back, his eyes clearing as his expression finally relaxed. Heat flooded his face once he realized what he'd just done and how he'd just touched her, no matter if it was all out of concern for her safety or not. Regardless, he didn't have much time to think about it, as the final hollows bellowed for his attention. "Good," he breathed, giving her a gentle smile before turning to deal with the last three.

Stormy eyes followed his progress as Orihime swallowed thickly. She'd been warm from battling the hollows, but now heat seemed to permeate her entire being, flushing her cheeks and bringing fire to the tips of her ears as she clasped her trembling hands before her chest. Her heart thudded behind her ribs, the sound roaring in her ears as Ichigo made quick work of the remaining hollows while still in his Bankai. It was then that Orihime realized he hadn't gone into Bankai until the hollow was rolling after her – until _she_ was in danger. Despite the situation, that thought brought a crooked smile to her lips and made her heart squeeze even more painfully in her chest, her knees nearly giving out on her as she staggered to take a seat in the stands before she fell.

The stands were covered in snow, so cold immediately seeped through her school uniform, and it was for the first time Orihime realized she'd been running around and fighting in a _skirt_ , and a fairly short one at that _._ That meant when Ichigo had carried her, he might have accidentally grabbed her _bare_ thigh if he hadn't positioned his hands just right over her long stockings. She wanted to be embarrassed and knew she likely would be on the way back to The Sweet Shop, but for the moment she didn't care. They had been in too big of a hurry and the hollows had mattered a whole lot more than her modesty. Regardless, her butt was soon too cold to keep sitting and she rose back to her feet with a huff, turning to the side to dust herself off, when movement caught her eye.

Orihime couldn't help the scream that ripped itself from her throat. Along with its sudden appearance, leaping over from the _back_ of the stands as though it just arrived, the hollow looked _too_ much like a spider. Eight legs sprouted from its body while its white mask and head were separate. The legs were jointed, each moving independently and apparently covered with some fine coating of dark, coarse hair. It even had multiple eyes like spiders did, redness glowing out from the otherwise empty appearing sockets. Pincers near its mask rubbed against the white shell, causing a rough, grating sound similar to sandpaper whittling against coarsely grained wood. The only thing not spider-like about it were the lines marring the surface of its mask, giving it the appearance of a pieced together puzzle – the most grotesque puzzle she could imagine. She was already afraid of spiders; this made her want to run and scream as well as vomit.

"Inoue?!" Ichigo shouted in response to her scream, his head immediately whipping in her direction. Shocked by the spider-like hollow's sudden appearance, he sucked in a nervous breath, noticing Orihime's eyes glued to its grotesque form. Even as he watched, her hands, which had been moving as though to call up her Santen Kesshun, fell from their position as she stumbled back.

Tsubaki was quick to notice Orihime's distress, darting forward from her pin without her call. "Come on, Orihime!" he cried, hovering at her eye level with an angry shake of his fist. When his only response was a gentle shaking of Orihime's head, her eyes wide and frozen on the hollow before her with her mouth open in a silent _'o'_ , he _tsk'd_ and flew off, ready to attack the hollow that had so easily immobilized the healer.

Ichigo burst forward barely a moment later, his eyes widening in alarm at Orihime's lack of motion. He didn't know of her fear of spiders, but it didn't take long to deduce what was happening. "Shit," he cursed under his breath as he flash-stepped.

For what it was, the hollow moved unnaturally fast, a growling hiss emanating from its gaping maw as it lunged forward. The pincers surrounding its mouth moved, grating against the side of its mouth as though preparing for a tasty meal. When it jumped, its legs tucked neatly up against its body, only to splay out when it began its descent. It was as it was descending that Ichigo cut it in two, the halves splitting and falling to either side of Orihime as he landed in front of her.

Even from behind Ichigo's back, Orihime felt her stomach clench anxiously. He'd cut its mask – she'd seen flakes of it break off upon impact – but then why was the hollow not disappearing? When the two halves landed on either side of them and began to move, she gasped and clutched the back of his coat in her hand.

"What the fuck?" Ichigo breathed, his eyes darting first to the hollow that landed on their right and higher up in the stands, then to the one that landed in the field to their left. Despite one hollow becoming two, they were still somehow the same size as the original. "Why aren't they disappearing?" His voice grew low and rough in his frustration.

Catching movement in the stands, Orihime released Ichigo's coat and turned, her back pressing against his as she faced the hollow despite her fear. Moving almost in sync, he turned the other way, brandishing Zangetsu as the other hollow slowly rose to its feet. Their backs pressed together, Ichigo felt her tremble against him and leaned into her just enough to let her know he was there, lending his support.

Orihime was the one to attack first, her voice high and shrill in the odd silence that surrounded them. Even the spider-like hollow ambling down the slippery stands scarcely made a sound as it approached, and Ichigo smiled when he felt Orihime's reiatsu flare just before she attacked. "Shiten Koshun! I reject!"

Technically, the shield needed to be attacked before Tsubaki could counter, so she compensated for this by placing the shield close to the hollow, just as it started to rub its pincers along its mask and chirr like a cicada. Ichigo attacked only a moment later, sweeping Zangetsu up vertically to catch the hollow's mask. This time, he paid extra close attention, his eyes narrowing as he followed his attack's progress. He saw, he _knew_ his attack hit home, splitting the hollow's mask. And just as before, it fell to the side, suddenly two separate entities rather than begin to disappear.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime cried as she watched Tsubaki break the hollow's mask with the same result on her end. "What do we do?!"

Still pressing his back into hers, Ichigo's mind raced as his eyes roved over the hollows before him. They didn't seem particularly strong, but the fact that they weren't being defeated did not bode well for either of them in their battle-weary state. "I don't-" he started, but cut himself off, his eyes widening as they inspected the hollows' masks closer. The hollows themselves were getting back to their feet, shaking off snow, as they began to circle them. "Look at the lines on their masks!" He knew she noticed it the moment she gasped.

"There's less of them? Does that mean they can only split so many times?" She squealed and ducked, just as one of the hollows on the stands above them jumped.

 _It has to,_ Ichigo pled, his chest tightening painfully when Orihime squealed. He reacted on instinct, knowing she was safely below his waist due to how she tugged on his clothing as he turned and swung Zangetsu. The two hollows on the stands were hit, which made them become four. Meanwhile, the two that had been on his side hissed, their feet pawing the snow and stamping it as though angry bulls readying to charge. Orihime's Shiten Koshun suddenly moved toward them at lightning speed; changing into her Santen Kesshun and surrounding them with its protective, warm, orange glow. It offered a reprieve, no matter how brief.

"If we keep this up, we're going to be surrounded," Ichigo panted, still eying the hollows.

Panting just as hard as Ichigo, Orihime braced her hands on her knees. Her hair hung limply over her shoulders, dampened from the snow that had been tossed up during their fight. "Then what do we do?"

He was silent as his mind worked, running through their options. His plans didn't move far beyond _get Orihime out of here_.

"Kurosaki-kun," Orihime breathed, touching his arm gently to capture his attention. "I'll lead them out and you take them down."

He gnashed his teeth and swung Zangetsu in agitation as he turned to fully look at her. They'd hesitated too long as it was. "Are you out of your damn mind?!" he snapped, the thought of _purposely_ putting her in danger making his stomach lurch. "No!"

She took a strong step forward, her hands clenching into fists as she retorted, "We don't have much choice! You said yourself, we can't let ourselves be surrounded!"

"That doesn't mean I'm okay with using you as bait!"

They'd grown closer in their argument, Orihime frowning with her brows drawn low as she stood up to her full height. Even so, she still had to look up considerably to challenge Ichigo's gaze as he towered over her. Her eyes flashed with anger and more than a little fear – not just fear for herself, but for him. Her chest heaved both from their recent physical exertion and their shouting, and it was with a start that he realized he could feel her chest brush against his with each breath, they'd gotten so close. Their breath was warm, intermingling between them, and under any other circumstances, they would both be a blushing mess. Instead, Ichigo clenched his free hand into an agitated fist while Orihime stood her ground.

"I can do this, Kurosaki-kun." She broke first, her voice soft despite the firm resolve in her eyes.

He sighed, breaking eye contact as he dropped his head back and ruffled his hair. "I know you can." Forcing himself to look at her, he took a small step back, his eyes surprisingly soft as he searched hers. "But if I get hurt, it's one thing." A crooked smile toyed with his lips as he added, "I have you to heal me." The smile fell, his eyes growing dark before he continued. "But what if _you_ get hurt?" His words hung heavily in the air between them, including what he didn't say. _What if_ _ **I**_ _hurt_ _ **you?!**_ "I can't let that happen." It was something he'd proven numerous times but had never been able to put into words. It was now strangely easy.

Before she could say anything more, he stepped out from under her protective barrier, the contact sharp and electric as he forced his way past it with a scarcely concealed groan. He looked back at her briefly from over his shoulder, not missing the tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. "Now get out of here, Inoue."

Her mouth opened as though she meant to argue with him. She truly did. But then she saw the pleading look in his eyes, the hints of blue that still flickered with his resolve. Even though his words were a command, they were spoken gently, belying his care and concern for her despite their recently raised voices. She saw him as he was fighting GrimmJow, and then again after Ulquiorra had hit him with his cero. This was a man that would do anything to protect those he cared about, and by the way the fingers of his left hand were flexing, she had an idea of what he meant to do. "Okay," she breathed, stepping back as he turned with enough force the hollows bellowed.

 _All right, you mother fuckers!_ Ichigo channeled his rage into his reiatsu, the power physically blowing the ragged ends of his coat and tousling his hair. Even though he couldn't see her, he was aware of Orihime strategically retreating, their argument still fresh and raw in his mind. _We've never fought before…_

' _ **Get your head in the game, King!**_ _ **You can kiss and make up once this is all over!**_ _ **'**_ his hollow warned not a moment too soon as the hollows attacked as one unit. With a shout of his own, Ichigo launched himself into the air, somehow not surprised when the hollows followed in their pursuit. Using flash-step, he turned in mid-air, bringing Zangetsu back to prepare for an attack.

"Getsuga Tensho!" he cried, bringing Zangetsu up and across his body in an attempt to take out as many hollows as he could in one sweep – or more like hollow masks, since the hollows simply split and fell to the ground before pursuing him. What had been the four facing Orihime was now eight, and he turned just in time to kick himself off of the mask of one of the two that had been facing him, bringing Zangetsu down through the mask of the other one. Now he was facing a total of eleven.

From the ground and beneath her shield, Orihime couldn't help but gasp as Ichigo was rapidly surrounded. Even without calling him forth, she knew Tsubaki was spent, having fought longer and harder than he perhaps ever had. The rest of her fairies were only doing marginally better because they were passively assisting at the moment, able to recover slightly from when they'd been attacked while aiding Ichigo.

She'd only taken her eyes off of him for a moment, but it was enough that her breath caught in her throat when she felt a change in the air. The violent flare of Ichigo's reiatsu, accompanied by an attack so fierce the ground itself shook, told her he'd finally donned his mask.

He'd avoided the mask for as long as he could, both not wanting to depend on it and not wanting to attract any further unwanted attention with the resulting rise in his spiritual pressure. But when the hollows had converged, and he realized he had to keep them all busy or risk failing to keep Orihime safe, he'd been left with few options. He hadn't intended to send them all plummeting back to the ground so swiftly, but he didn't waste his window of opportunity and quickly launched himself after them, landing amongst their number and sweeping out a horizontal Getsuga Tensho that quickly took even more of them out.

"Their masks are failing!" Orihime cried, just as her shield stuttered and failed.

Suddenly seeing the auburn-haired healer without the protective dome surrounding her sent Ichigo's heart straight up into his throat. The hollow rising to its feet and shaking snow off of its body made his stomach clench painfully. "Inoue!"

Ichigo's voice carried with it a sense of urgency and fear she hadn't yet processed, and she turned, darting toward the shelter offered beneath the now-clear stands. The all-too-familiar hissing picked up behind her, accompanied by Ichigo's grunts as he fought off the other hollows. If Tsubaki hadn't been exhausted, if all her fairies hadn't been, she would have held her ground, but she knew they couldn't. Not this time. A gust of wind hit her in the back, flinging her hair in front of her face, but she knew it was Ichigo, the violent rage back from his hollow mask as he threw out an attack so devastating it destroyed the dug outs and nearly knocked her off her feet.

His mask still in place, Ichigo watched as the hollows multiplied again, crawling out of the ruined dug outs, up the chain-link fence, and charging as one unit. He flash-stepped toward them, his hollowfied voice ringing oddly as he shouted in his frustration. Movement of something dark caught the corner of his eye and he turned, abandoning his attack when he realized he'd missed one; one that was heading straight for Orihime. _"Inoue!"_ he shouted, trying to warn her. His heart plummeted into his stomach when he realized he was too late.

Orihime scarcely registered the sound of clawing footsteps on the stands, but she kept her eyes on her goal, even though she now knew she wouldn't make it. Her shield was too weak, _she_ was too weak. Suddenly the hissing grew louder, so loud she wanted to cover her ears with her hands, just before pain exploded along her upper back and she was suddenly flying through the air. Ichigo's frantic cry echoed in her ears. " _INOUE?!"_

His vision went red upon seeing Orihime flying limply through the air. The hollow had hit her with two of its legs, the first strike landing across her upper back between her shoulders, and the second high on the back of her legs. She was immediately airborne, her head whipping back from the force of the impact as she tumbled through the air like a rag doll. Despite his best efforts, Ichigo couldn't reach her in time and she landed _hard_ in the snow, throwing up waves of powder as she tumbled and rolled before Ichigo was able to stop her, dropping Zangetsu in the process. "Inoue?!" he cried, his mask disappearing and Zangetsu forgotten at his side as he pulled her dead weight into his arms. Trying to protect her neck from too much movement, he cradled her against him, his fingers shaking as he checked her neck for a pulse and made sure she was still breathing. He could barely register the sounds of Tsubaki and the others holding back the hollows over his own blood roaring in his ears, his heart hammering so fiercely against his throat he felt like he would choke. "Inoue, say something," he pled, dropping his own sweaty forehead against her temple as his arms tightened around her. His eyes burned and he squeezed them shut in an attempt to block the sensation. "Please."

With his eyes closed, he couldn't see Orihime's brow furrow, her eyes moving behind closed lids, until a quiet groan caused his eyes to snap open. He pulled back from her a little, just enough so that he could see her face, when she finally opened her eyes. "Kurosaki-kun?" she breathed, confusion clear in her eyes as she blinked rapidly, as though to make sure she was really seeing what she thought she was seeing.

"Are you okay?" he rasped, ignoring her look of utter confusion. When she squirmed slightly, he had to force himself to loosen his grip so she could breathe.

Squirming brought a fresh wave of pain to Orihime, tearing through her chest like a dull whip, and she sucked in a breath. That also hurt, and she closed her eyes, gritting her teeth against the pain as her hands gripped Ichigo's coat out of reflex. Deep inside she chastised herself. She'd seen Ichigo take hits _plenty_ worse than this and get right back up. How could she be so weak?! "I'm sorry," she muttered.

He shifted her in his arms, the sounds of the hollows once more vying for his attention. "Don't you _dare_ fucking apologize," he ground out, his fear and relief causing him to speak more roughly with her than he usually would. Orihime's eyes snapped open in surprise, their depths swimming in confusion as they met his fierce gaze. "You… It hit… I couldn't," he floundered, too many thoughts rolling through him for him to properly voice. Rather than try and fail more, he dropped his head back to hers and sighed, some of the tension leaving his shoulders as he buried his nose in her hair. "Kami, I'm so glad you're okay," he murmured.

His breath was hot on her neck, and Orihime couldn't help the shiver that traveled down her spine at the sensation. Her eyes closed once more as she relaxed into his arms, her own arms moving up to wrap around his neck as his moved to better support her back and head. The movement pressed her more firmly against him, his leg propping her up, but despite the pain in her chest, she smiled gently.

Tsubaki was the one to bring their attention back to the present as he returned to Orihime's pin with a strangled shriek that faintly sounded like he was shouting at Ichigo. His return to his pin rocked Orihime's head slightly, causing her to wince and pull one hand from Ichigo's neck to rest against her temple. "Tsubaki?"

Ichigo's grip on her suddenly tightened and he shifted to the side, searching the snow for Zangetsu. Tsubaki had done all he could and then fled, but he'd done more than enough. Ichigo could see the numerous pock marks in the hollow's mask from the fairy's attacks, and even though the Santen Kesshun was clearly damaged and would give out any moment, it had done what it needed to do, fending off the other hollows. He would certainly be able to finish the job, but he wasn't ready to relinquish his hold on Orihime just yet. Not to mention he wasn't even sure if she could stand on her own. So, he'd just have to take them down a little differently.

His hand closed around Zangetsu's grip as the offending hollow shook its head and turned its eyes in their direction. Its numerous legs stumbled slightly as it shook before it started charging, its movement oddly silent other than the cicada-like chirring it emitted. The others Ichigo had been about to attack followed suit, their strangely empty eyes fixating on them in the snow as the Santen Kesshun finally gave out against their straining bodies and legs, the remaining fairies fleeing with quiet screams.

Pulling Orihime tightly against him with his left arm and remaining on his knees, Ichigo drew Zangetsu across them, pointing the blade outward from his left hip. His eyes flared blue just before turning into the black and gold characteristic of his hollow, as his power flowed into his weapon, his reiatsu flaring enough to flutter their clothes and toss Orihime's hair before he shouted, "Getsuga Tensho!" and flung the blade up and to the right, casting the black and red arc that was characteristic of his attack when in Bankai; but even more violent and furious with the power from his hollow, despite not donning the mask. There was no cracking of the hollows' masks, no breaking of them. They disintegrated on impact, destroying any and all evidence that the hollows had even been there.

When Ichigo started gathering his reiatsu before his attack, Orihime had clung to him out of reflex, burying her face in his chest as the air charged around them so much so that the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Her limbs tingled as though static electricity ghosted over them, only for that sensation to erupt and be pulled away in one swift movement – just as Ichigo swung his sword. The hollows destroyed, Ichigo relaxed back against his heels, dropping Zangetsu in favor of wrapping both arms around Orihime once more. His forehead came to rest against hers, her fingers tangling in the hair at the back of his neck, as their eyes met for only a moment before closing. For once Ichigo was not ashamed of the fact that he was trembling, especially not once he felt her trembling just as fiercely within his grasp. When her grip on him tightened, it was as though she controlled a band around his chest that tightened just as much. He was just catching his breath, but she threatened to take it from him again, and so he moved, his cheek sliding against hers as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, her pulse reassuringly near.

They lost track of how much time they spent like that, holding onto each other for dear life as though the other would disappear if they so much as loosened their grip. At some point Ichigo had come out of his Bankai, the change barely noticed between them other than an odd shifting of the clothing between them, which was difficult given how closely they were pressed together. It wasn't until Ichigo felt his legs going numb both from the position and the cold, and he realized Orihime was shivering rather than trembling, that he pulled back from their embrace to look into her eyes. "Are you all right?" he asked again, his voice soft and gentle this time as he brushed her hair back from her eyes.

Scarcely able to resist the urge to lean into his touch, Orihime took a deep breath and winced. It was quite possible she'd at least bruised if not broken some ribs, but the pain was already less severe than it was. A deep ache had taken root in the backs of her thighs, but with their position in the snow, the cold was thankfully dulling it. She finally nodded in response to his question, her eyes unable to leave his. Their faces were still remarkably close together… "Are you?" she muttered; her voice oddly rough once she spoke.

Ichigo scoffed, shaking his head not that he wasn't okay, but because she thought to ask that when _she_ was the one to get tossed in the air like a bean bag. "We better get out of here." Without giving himself time to think twice about it, and without asking for permission, he threw Zangetsu back over his back and scooped Orihime up in his arms with one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. She squealed softly at the change in position, her cheeks darkening, but she didn't argue.

"There you are!"

The two teens snapped their attention toward the voice, taken completely by surprise by the sudden arrival. "Hitsugaya? Matsumoto?"

"We saw you on our pagers. Figured we'd swing by and see how you were doing." Rangiku's eyes narrowed when she saw the way Ichigo gently cradled Orihime against him and realized that the auburn-haired healer wasn't arguing about it or completely red in the face. "What happened?"

"We were caught by surprise," Ichigo answered, somewhat hesitantly. "Inoue took a hit."

Toshiro immediately stepped forward, his bright teal eyes searching the healer for any obvious wounds. "Do you need treatment?" he asked, gently touching her arm. Ichigo shifted away from him a moment later, pulling her away from his touch, even if he was the captain of squad ten.

Orihime, who hadn't noticed Ichigo's reaction to Hitsugaya's concerned touch, hated to put anyone through the inconvenience, and so she hesitated, just long enough that Ichigo answered for her. "Yes."

The smaller captain's eyes darted up to Ichigo's, not surprised by the frown marring the substitute soul reaper's expression (and trying to suppress a smirk at his possessive reaction to his concern). "Where's your body?" he demanded.

Ichigo had a feeling where this was going, and he didn't like it. Of course, it made sense, but leaving Orihime, even if it was with the captain and lieutenant of squad ten, didn't sit right with him. "I need to retrieve it," he answered lamely. "And if you wouldn't mind, some memory modification might be in order."

Orihime stifled a giggle while Toshiro's eyes widened. "What does that mean? Just what were you two _doing_ when the page went off?!"

Shrugging, Ichigo let a smile cross his lips as he looked down to meet Orihime's lightened gaze. Her eyes were still pinched with discomfort, but she was smiling at him, and it made the tight band that had been squeezing his insides relax some. "My body's in a bathroom stall."

"What?!" Rangiku and Toshiro cried simultaneously.

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 _This chapter may not have been quite what you were expecting, and dare I say it is full of COLOR on my computer, lol. Just how I edit… Needed to get this_ _ **just so**_ _, which I hope I did… Even though I feel like I could change things here and there every time I look at it..._ _Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Please feel free to comment/review!_

 _As always, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. I just own this story. Everything else belongs to Tite Kubo._


	20. Chapter 20

_A/N: So sorry for the delay! Life is life and this chapter gave me some trouble. Although the majority of it was written at quite the sprint, it was practically re-written a few times… And honestly the last bit was writing when recovering from a pretty bad headache. Still not sure exactly how I feel about it, but I hope you enjoy!_

 _Once again, a HUGE thank you to all who have read, followed, and favorited this story. I had no idea it was going to turn into_ this _when I first started writing it, and your support and encouragement mean the world to me. I cannot thank you enough!_

* * *

"What?!"

Rangiku gawked at the two teens before her, before shifting her eyes to her equally (if not more) surprised captain. Hitsugaya stood with his mouth agape and his eyes wide as he looked up at Ichigo as though he truly couldn't understand what the substitute soul reaper had just said. In typical Ichigo fashion, he shrugged the concern off, even if he was careful not to jostle Orihime in his arms. "It was the only place available at the time," he grumbled, suddenly dropping his eyes before turning them back on the captain with purpose. "So, can we go now?"

Snapping back to himself, Toshiro took a step forward, opening his mouth and raising his finger as though he meant to lecture the two. Rangiku put a stop to it by dropping a heavy hand on his shoulder before stepping between them. It was a move some other captains of the 13 Court Guard Squad might consider insubordinate, yet it was strangely commonplace for the Lieutenant of Squad Ten to touch her Captain, just as it was among some other units. Sometimes action truly was better than words. Once she was sure her Captain had gotten her cue, she smiled and clapped her hands together, a mischievous light glinting in the blue depths of her eyes. "Of course! We'll just take Orihime to Squad Four while you return for your body."

Ichigo's lip curled as he had to suppress a disapproving growl from deep within his chest. He didn't want to leave Orihime, not after what just happened; and judging by the way her hands suddenly fisted in his kosode, he was pretty certain she felt the same. "No."

Toshiro side-stepped Rangiku, his anger clear in his now flashing eyes. "No? What do you mean, _no_?"

Although he didn't care how Rangiku or Hitsugaya saw him, Ichigo sincerely hoped what he was doing wasn't going to upset Orihime. She notoriously hated to cause a fuss or inconvenience anyone (even if it was a detriment to her own well-being), and he was quite possibly doing both. Fortunately, he had a viable alternative as well as a more practical reason besides not wanting to leave her. "That would take too long. Why don't we just take her to Hat-and-Clogs? Tessai can heal her."

Even though his first reaction was to argue with the substitute soul reaper, Toshiro's main concern was Orihime, and although his brows furrowed in irritation, he quickly nodded his agreement; silently surprised with himself for not thinking of the same solution sooner. "Fine." It was clear there was no point in trying to force Ichigo to leave Orihime with them; without including the fact that _one_ of them would have to go with him if he went for his body in order to provide the memory modification anyway. His next words caused him to grind his teeth in annoyance; the hot-headed substitute often caused him so much extra work…. "Rangiku and I will go retrieve your body. Just tell us where, and we'll meet you at Urahara's."

It took only moments for Ichigo to relay the location of his body, ignoring the way Rangiku's eyes all but sparkled and glowed with excitement as she bounced happily on her toes. "Oh, Captain! I _love_ that place! Can we get something sweet, please?"

A vein visibly pulsing on his forehead, Toshiro pointedly ignored his lieutenant and disappeared in a flash-step. With a pout, Rangiku quickly followed him, leaving Orihime and Ichigo alone in the destroyed baseball field. The air surrounding them quickly felt thick upon the departure of the others; heavy, as though laden with the emotions and fear that had been thrust upon them before the soul reapers appeared. Suddenly realizing what he had said and _done,_ Ichigo felt his face heat up, his heart racing in his chest anew as he gently shifted Orihime in his arms while carefully avoiding her eyes. Orihime was also shocked, her own cheeks darkening as she slowly released the front of his kosode that she had been gripping so tightly her fingers ached. To keep from looking at Ichigo, she looked at her hands, as she tried in vain to straighten out the material she'd rumpled, not realizing she was essentially stroking his chest in the process.

The clearing of Ichigo's throat startled her so much she jumped, the sound rough and pleasant regardless. Her jolt caused her to suck in a pained breath with a visible wince, which caused Ichigo to gently squeeze her as he apologized. "Sorry."

She had to steel her nerves to look up at him, even though their eyes only locked for a moment before they both looked away, cheeks warming even more. "No, it's fine!" she blurted.

There was a moment's awkward silence before Ichigo broke it, his feet shifting anxiously in the snow. "I'll try to be gentle," he murmured.

Orihime's gasp was audible, and this time her eyes darted to his and stayed in their confusion. _What does that mean?!_ Her mouth had dropped open slightly in surprise and it was then that Ichigo realized what he'd said, and how it could be interpreted.

If his hands had been free, he'd be waving his previous statement away, or smacking himself – actions usually strictly reserved for Orihime. "I mean, running to Urahara's. I-I'll try not to jostle you too much."

Giggling, Orihime waved her hands in front of her face, both in attempt to dispel his concern and cool off her suddenly flaming cheeks. Her mind had certainly taken a turn down a much less pure path, and although she'd love to have the little blue men to blame, this time it was solely on her. "O-of course! I knew that!"

"Right." Before things could get even _more_ awkward, Ichigo took off in a flash-step, spinning on his toes and pushing off of the already destroyed field with enough force to create a wave of snow behind them, adding one more "crater" to the already pock-marked field. Without a warning, Orihime squeaked in surprise and gripped the front of his kosode once more, unaware of her legs squeezing Ichigo's arm that braced behind her knees. It wasn't out of fear of being dropped – she knew that would never happen – but as a way to steady her rapidly beating heart and swirling thoughts.

It took only moments to reach Urahara's shop, the time passing in awkward silence as Ichigo kept his eyes diligently forward, while Orihime allowed herself to slowly relax against his chest, almost as though she were sleeping, but she wasn't. She was simply allowing herself to enjoy their moment of closeness; and even as she relaxed, she could feel Ichigo relax with her in his arms, the muscles beneath her and holding her less tightly strung. It was enough to make a gentle smile curve her lips as she turned her head slightly more toward his chest so he couldn't see how happy she was in their current position. So much had happened during the course of the hollow attack. They'd both protected each other; they'd _fought_ , actually _yelling_ at each other; and then when she'd been injured…. Orihime couldn't remember _ever_ seeing Ichigo look so desperate, and yet so angry. He'd _never_ touched her so openly and held her so delicately, while at the same time looking absolutely murderous.

There had been a moment, more than a moment if she was honest with herself, when she'd thought he might kiss her. _Hoped_ he might kiss her would be more accurate. They had been so close she could feel his breath caress her lips, and she'd been certain the same had been true for him. After he'd defeated the hollows and buried his face in her neck, she could swear she'd felt his lips brush her skin – although she doubted it was intentional – and the little blue men kept trying to tell her it was just wishful thinking. Even so, the touch had been electric for her, and she'd had to fight the urge to respond in kind. While she loved Rangiku and Toshiro, a part of her couldn't help but wonder how things might have progressed if they hadn't arrived when they did.

Before she knew it, Ichigo was slowing, determined not to be too rough with her, before arriving at the rear entrance to Urahara's shop. He wasted no time in pounding on the back door as though he meant to break it down with his foot (since his arms were full). "Hey! Hat-and-Clogs!" he brusquely shouted.

Ururu was the one to open the back door, her large purple eyes somehow even larger when she took in the two before her with a quiet, "Oh," of surprise. She was quickly cast in shadow when Urahara himself appeared.

At first, Urahara was hiding a smile with his fan, but that smile (and his fan) quickly fell when he took in the condition of the two before him. "What the hell happened?" he snapped, his eyes uncharacteristically wide in his surprise.

"You mean you didn't sense the hollows?" Ichigo retorted, his grip on Orihime tightening out of reflex.

Urahara could see the wild look in Ichigo's eyes but held his ground, not at all deterred by his rising spiritual pressure as Orihime turned her face to look at him. "Are you all right?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle in addressing the healer. He'd chosen to ignore Ichigo's irritation outright. His outbursts and rapidly fluctuating temperament were nothing new to him. Once he took in the pained pinch surrounding Orihime's eyes, he quickly turned, his haori billowing out behind him without giving Orihime a chance to answer him. "Bring her inside."

Ichigo didn't need to be told twice as he quickly followed the former captain inside his shop.

As though he sensed what was needed, Tessai was already setting up supplies while Ururu and Jinta set up a futon in one of Urahara's spare rooms. It wasn't the first time they'd used it for healing, and sadly, he knew it would not be the last. Ichigo moved with a gentleness none of them had seen before, and Urahara couldn't help but smirk as the substitute soul reaper gingerly set the auburn-haired healer on her feet next to the futon as though he thought he might break her if he moved too quickly.

Once she was out of his arms, Ichigo quickly realized how downright _soaked_ Orihime was from the snow – the sleeves of his shihakusho had absorbed much of it, leaving his suddenly barren arms damp, cold and empty feeling. Not a moment later, he and every other male in the room were quickly ushered out, Ururu warning them with her deceivingly innocent eyes and soft-spoken voice. "Get out. She needs to change out of her wet clothes."

Even though he knew he couldn't be in the same room, Ichigo opened his mouth to argue – it was a reflex, practically his second nature. Ururu didn't give him a chance, the door quickly closing in his face, leaving him to stare at the beaded curtain they'd just come through as it rattled against the now closed door.

Scarcely suppressing a chuckle, Urahara placed a warm hand on Ichigo's shoulder, looking over him with a quick sweep of his eyes. Relief flooded him when Ichigo appeared to have suffered no major injuries, not that he'd ever admit that to the rambunctious teenager. "Relax, Ichigo." He patiently waited for Ichigo to turn and look at him. "Tell me how it happened.

Somehow irritated that Urahara easily read him so well, Ichigo suppressed the urge to shrug off his hand. Instead he sighed, closing his eyes as he stepped back to lean against the opposite wall. "There were so many of them," he breathed, the fight replaying before his eyes. "But then this different type of hollow appeared." His eyes moved to Urahara's, his gaze fierce and analytical. "They weren't destroyed with their masks. Each time we broke them, they just split in two. We figured out that their masks could only be broken so many times before they would _finally_ disappear, but then…" His voice trailed off as he saw Orihime get hit over and over in his mind, her limp body flying through the air conjuring all sorts of fears. "I couldn't reach her in time," he murmured, so quietly Urahara barely heard him.

His fan back out, Urahara tapped the scalloped edge against his upper lip in thought, his gaze thoughtful as he stared, unseeing, at a spot on the wall over Ichigo's shoulder. He'd heard rumors of hollows such as Ichigo had described, but he'd never seen them. Ichigo surprised him by volunteering even more information.

"Even before those hollows appeared, the other ones were _cooperating_ with each other. I wouldn't say they had intelligence like Adjuchas, but they weren't the average hollows either. And then these other ones…" He turned blazing eyes on Urahara, his anger palpable. "Is this because of the rift the R&D department made?"

Not at all surprised that Ichigo knew of Squad Twelve's blunder, Urahara's gaze moved toward the door, with Ururu and Orihime on the other side. The beaded curtain also dangled between them, often used as the door except when circumstances dictated otherwise. Being a soul reaper meant one became almost accustomed to seeing injuries, as well as being injured; but seeing the auburn-haired healer injured bothered him more than he cared to admit. Like Toshiro, he was fond of the girl and admired her strong spirit and infallibly kind heart. In fact, there were many times that he saw her almost like a daughter, not that dissimilar from Ururu, although he wasn't sure he'd ever give such thoughts voice. "I don't know, Ichigo," he answered honestly. "I've heard of hollows like you're describing before. They call them Dupdos, and just like you said, you can't outright destroy them. They are a sort of intermediate between a hollow and a Gillian. Their masks give them the ability to survive being broken, but only a certain number of times, depending on how many other hollows it has eaten. At least, that's the theory. No one really knows for certain, and to my knowledge, no one has ever actually seen them." He left out how much he'd love to study one.

"Then where the hell did they come from?" The angry edge was back in his voice. "If Captain Kurotsuchi had anything to do with this," he started.

Urahara cut him off with a snap to his shoulder from his fan. "Come now, Ichigo. You won't be the only one out for blood if that creep had anything to do with this." He tried to lighten the mood with a smile, but Ichigo simply rolled his shoulder to knock off the fan. Gray eyes narrowed at the sullen teen across from him, and he sighed. "Why don't I go get us some tea." It wasn't a question.

Ichigo scarcely heard Urahara leave his side, his wooden sandals clacking on the floor of the shop, for Ururu opened the door the next moment, allowing him back inside. He both was and wasn't surprised to see Tessai had never left the room – he was their healer after all – but it didn't make him any more comfortable with the fact that he had been in the room when Orihime was changing. Now, he kneeled at her side, his healing powers already at work as she laid on her back beneath a thick blanket, her eyes peacefully closed. Ururu was quietly bustling about the room, gathering up Orihime's discarded clothes only to disappear with them.

Ichigo had little choice but to lean against the wall, his eyes focused on Orihime so fiercely they began to burn, and he had to remind himself to blink. _What happened?! How did that hollow get to her?!_ He couldn't stop cursing himself, thinking through the fight over and over again, coming up with things he could have done differently, what he _should_ have done in order to keep Orihime from getting hurt. The last time she'd been so obviously injured had been when Yammy first attacked, and he hadn't taken that well either, but that was before… He swallowed, still having trouble admitting his true feelings, even to himself, but this time he allowed (and somewhat _forced_ ) himself to acknowledge them. He hadn't dealt with an injured Orihime since he realized he was in love with her, and somehow that made her pain even worse in his eyes. So much had changed since he fought Yammy the first time. Hell, so much had changed over the past _week!_ His jaw clenched as his hands curled into fists, remembering how worthless he'd felt, allowing his friends to be hurt like that so easily. They'd all underestimated the Espada then and had paid for it when they went to Hueco Mundo, even if they had adapted in the end. He'd told himself he'd never let anything happen to Orihime again, and here he'd already failed. Finally pulling his eyes from Orihime's slumbering form, he sighed, folded his arms across his chest, and closed his eyes.

It felt as though he'd scarcely closed his eyes before opening them with a start when Rangiku cheerily called out, "We're back!" from the front entrance. With one last longing gaze at Orihime, Tessai still kneeling at her side, he shoved himself off the wall and moved to intercept them, stopping in his tracks when he saw not just two soul reapers, but four; one of whom had his body slung over his square shoulders, a shock of red hair still visible from his spiky ponytail.

"Well, well, well! Look what we found!" Renji teased, tossing Ichigo's body half-hazardly onto the couch at their side. Even though he landed on the couch and felt nothing, Ichigo couldn't help but flinch.

Rangiku was practically glowing; she and Rukia were both working on rather large ice cream cones that had somehow miraculously survived their shunpo to the shop; Rukia handing another one to Renji once his arms were free. Ichigo glared at Renji as he crossed the small room and returned to his body without another word while Toshiro looked on with narrowed eyes.

"How is she?" Toshiro wasted no time in asking, as Ichigo slowly rose to his feet, now back in his body. He was surprised at how much warmer he felt, now that he wasn't in his soaking shihakusho.

Urahara was still busy making tea, Ururu bustling along with him in the kitchen before disappearing again. Ichigo lowered his eyes and answered the captain with a grunt. "Tessai is with her now."

They smiled at him, but their concern for Orihime was still obvious in their eyes. "Care to fill us in on what happened?" Toshiro asked, down-to-business. Behind him, Renji folded his arms across his chest, his eyes dark and serious as he awaited Ichigo's answer. The ice cream made him hard to take seriously.

Ichigo opened his mouth to answer, irritation bubbling in his chest that he knew the smaller captain didn't deserve, but was saved by Ururu, silently appearing in the living room. "Tea's ready."

As though her words were a silent command, the others immediately took seats, their eyes expectant yet patient. Ichigo was the only one still on his feet, until Urahara placed a firm hand on his shoulder and all but shoved him back toward the room Orihime was in. "Take this to Tessai," he stated blandly, pressing a warm rag in his hand as well as a cup of steaming tea.

His brow furrowing, Ichigo nonetheless listened, turning on his heel and disappearing down the hallway just as he could hear Urahara begin retelling his tale at his back. When he crossed back into the small room they'd commandeered for Orihime, the beaded curtain rattled against the now open door frame, causing Tessai to look up, his glasses flashing. He looked to Ichigo, then the objects in his hands. Without needing to be told, Ichigo gave him the warm cloth and kept the tea for himself. Tessai simply placed the cloth across Orihime's forehead and rose to his feet, towering over Ichigo. "She just needs to rest now." A small smile played at the corners of his lips as he clapped Ichigo so hard on the shoulder he had to take a step to prevent himself from being knocked down. "You could probably use some too."

Ichigo watched, his brow furrowed, as Tessai left the room, his rumbling voice quickly joining Ururu's quiet whispers and Urahara's discussion with the others. It all settled into the back of his mind, like white noise, as his gaze focused on Orihime and he was drawn to her without a second thought.

Without really knowing how he got there, he suddenly found himself on his knees at Orihime's side, with his hands clenched into fists atop his thighs and his tea all but forgotten at his side. She appeared to be sleeping peacefully, her brows smooth and her face lax. Her cheeks were slightly pink, but the room was warm, the temperature probably increased due to her exposure to the cold during their battle. Someone had brushed her hair out (he assumed it was Ururu), her long auburn tresses sleek and shining as they cascaded over her shoulder. Her blankets were pulled up to her chin, so that only her head was exposed, and Ichigo was surprised to find how much that fact irritated him. Even though he'd be too nervous to do so when she was awake, he felt compelled to hold her hand, to offer some sort of comfort. _Maybe that's what she felt towards me when she left?_ He wondered her motivations, but hadn't had the courage to ask, and even though he knew her injuries certainly weren't life threatening; he couldn't help but feel as though now he might never get the chance to.

' _Will you stop being such a pussy, already?! Fuck! You're making_ me _depressed!'_

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo continued the motion through his neck, cracking it as he rolled his shoulders in an attempt to relieve some of the tension. He'd never been good at this. He wasn't good at waiting, at being patient. He wasn't good at being on the other side, the "non-injured" side. Sucking in a deep breath, he closed his eyes and bowed, bracing his hands as he lowered his forehead all the way to the top of the futon Orihime rested on, the fabric of her blankets brushing his fingers. He was too stuck in his own head to realize he was so close he actually dropped his head onto her forearm beneath the blanket. He was so close his hair would be tickling her side if there weren't so many layers between them. "I'm so sorry, Inoue," he breathed. "It should have been me. Not you. Never you."

Orihime felt like she was floating in a dream, as though she were both weightless and extremely heavy at the same time. Something kept pulling her down, but rather than be annoyed by it, she was also drawn to it. She was vaguely aware of being warm and comfortable, of the fact that it no longer hurt every time she breathed and that her legs ached only mildly from all the running she'd done. It was when she felt something touch her arm, resting gently against her that she slowly rose to the surface of consciousness and caught the words uttered so quietly she almost missed them. That didn't stop her from frowning at their meaning just before her eyes fluttered open.

Laying on her back, Orihime blinked momentarily before turning her head to the side, where she felt heat she knew to be coming from Ichigo. He was still bowing, his forehead still pressed gently against her forearm, completely unaware that she'd woken up at the sound of his voice. Without stopping to think about what she was doing; she freed her other arm and ran her fingers through his hair. "Please don't say that, Kurosaki-kun," she whispered.

Ichigo stilled at the sensation of Orihime's fingers in his hair, managing to restrain the urge to shiver pleasantly at her touch, holding his breath without realizing it as his eyes opened, staring at the blanket beneath him in a panic. _Fuck!_ He inwardly shrieked, not at all sure what to do now that she was awake. Bolting upright was a strong option in his mind, but he also didn't want to startle her, or worse, make her think he didn't enjoy her touch – because he certainly did. Instead, he slowly sat up, her hand trailing through his hair until she caressed his cheek, and he stopped. "Inoue?" He swallowed.

Her lips parting on their own, Orihime realized her heart was pounding so hard, she could feel it throughout her entire being. She simultaneously couldn't look away from Ichigo's searching eyes and wanted to look anywhere but at him. He seemed to be suffering from the same indecision, as his eyes wandered from one eye to the other. "I'm fine, Kurosaki-kun," she breathed, running her thumb under his eye once before reluctantly pulling her hand away. "So, please sit up."

Ichigo had to bite his tongue in order to keep himself grounded, in order to keep himself from pressing into the hand at his cheek and covering it with his own. He'd searched her eyes to keep himself from looking at her mouth, to keep himself from crushing her to him out of relief, to keep himself from thinking about kissing that mouth, and taking them someplace they wouldn't be able to come back from; someplace he found himself thinking about more and more of late. Instead, he buried such thoughts and sat up, pressing his fists into his thighs once more. "How are you feeling?" he asked, surprised by the gruffness of his own voice.

With only the slightest wince, Orihime forced herself into a sitting position, shooting Ichigo a glaring look when he moved to help her. As much as she wanted him to touch her, she wanted to prove she wasn't as weak as she felt she was. "Surprisingly good," she admitted when her chest only mildly ached and protested her movements.

It was as though a heavy weight had been removed from Ichigo's shoulders and he sighed, his posture relaxing as she smiled at him – a smile he easily returned, even if it was nervous and crooked. "How long have I been out?" she asked, her eyes squinting as she took in the lengthening shadows in the room.

For the first time, Ichigo was also aware of the change in lighting, and rubbed the back of his neck. _What time is it, anyway?_ "I honestly don't know. I might have dozed off too, for a moment, but I don't think it's been that long." His brows drew together, forming the crease that was so often present between his eyebrows as he glanced toward the hallway, where the others' voices could just be heard.

Without realizing what she was doing, Orihime's hand came to rest on Ichigo's chest, her fingertips grazing the white uniform shirt he wore for school beneath his opened gray jacket. "You've got your body back," she murmured, as though lost in thought.

Her touch momentarily stunned him into complete stillness, and Ichigo forgot to breathe. The hand still clenched into his thigh twitched, his desire to grasp her hand in his own nearly too powerful to suppress. "Renji dumped me on the damn couch," he grumbled once he found his voice, his lips pursed into an uncharacteristic pout.

The image was too clear in her mind (as was an over-the-top Ichigo reaction), and before Orihime could stop herself, she was giggling, pulling her hand away from Ichigo's chest in a weak attempt to stifle her laughter. Her giggle was like music to Ichigo's ears and he found himself chuckling right along with her before he even knew what was happening. As their laughter quietly died down, Ichigo found himself unable to look away from her – the way her eyes sparkled in the dim light, the way her cheeks darkened when she laughed, and the way she nervously pulled her hair over her other shoulder when he looked at her too long. "As much as I don't want to do that again, we made a pretty amazing team out there, didn't we?" he blurted, immediately wishing he could take back his words with an internal groan.

If her cheeks were dark before, her entire chest and face flared with heat after hearing those words. She suddenly found herself playing with the ends of her hair, shyly lowering her gaze as Ichigo's seemed too intense for her to handle without spontaneously combusting. "We sure did!" she squeaked, before adding, "But I don't want to do that again either!" Her eyes nervously found his before they burst into quiet laughter once more.

"Well, well, well! Look who's awake!" Urahara cheered happily as he strode into the room, knocking the beaded curtain aside with his fan. He was immediately followed by Tessai, Ururu, Jinta, Rangiku, Toshiro, Rukia, and Renji.

Tessai was as no nonsense as always, immediately moving to Orihime's side and drawing her attention to him as he reassessed her, while the others looked to Ichigo for answers Urahara had been unable to provide.

"How are you feeling? Do you have any more pain?" Tessai asked Orihime, keeping her attention focused away from the questions flying at Ichigo as he reluctantly stood at her side.

Taking a deep breath, Orihime slightly winced, but not until the end, when her chest was as expanded as possible. When she exhaled, the pain quickly receded, leaving her to move her legs beneath the blanket with minimal discomfort. "Just a little." She felt ready to get to her feet, but something in Tessai's eyes kept her where she was.

"You'll need to rest," he advised, his glasses flashing in the dim room. "I advise spending the rest of the day in bed, if at all possible."

She expected as much. "What about school tomorrow?" She'd missed quite a bit of late, and even though she'd definitely missed more in the past (with good reason, of course), she didn't want to get _too_ in the habit of ditching, even if it had been wonderful to spend one on one time with Ichigo.

"Should be fine."

Smiling, Orihime took his offered hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She gasped in surprise when she felt a silky material brushing against her legs and looked down just as she remembered changing into a yukata so Ururu could dry her clothes.

Silence had fallen over the group at the foot of the futon. Urahara was quick to offer, "Of course you can stay here tonight if you'd like. Save you a trip home."

Her eyes moved, immediately searching out Ichigo to feel out his reaction. Although subtle, she noticed the tightening in his jaw even as he looked to her for her decision. When their eyes met, he quirked an eyebrow, his head cocking slightly to the opposite side. His silence somehow spoke volumes – that he didn't necessarily want her to stay, but he didn't want her to exert herself more than she should. He was clearly just as conflicted as she felt. She didn't want to part ways with him just yet either, and yet she couldn't bring herself to ask him to take her home, her eyes dropping to the floor. He'd done so much for her already…. When she took too long to answer, he did it for her, even if he stated it rather than asked. "I'll take her home." His tone brokered no negotiation.

Stormy gray snapped to swirling mocha, for the moment forgetting the others were even there. Her heart was suddenly fluttering in her chest, and her stomach did a strange little flip. It took her a moment before she could murmur an argument, purely out of principle and not because she wanted to. "Kurosaki-kun…" When his eyes hardened, she knew her weak argument was futile anyway, and she quickly added, "Thank you." The tips of her ears grew alarmingly warm when he smiled gently.

The beaded curtain rattled as Ururu reappeared (none of them noticed when she left), carrying Orihime's neatly folded and _dry_ clothes. She set them down on a chair before turning to the group before her. "Get out so she can change," she demanded, her voice once more deceivingly quiet and soft. The others had no choice but to comply, and Orihime was suddenly aware of them again as they turned to march out of the room. Urahara had his fan covering the lower half of his face, but even she could see the slight crinkling of his eyes and knew he was hiding a smile. Tessai was silent, his glasses flashing, Rukia and Renji shared a meaningful look, Rangiku bounced on her toes, and Toshiro folded his arms across his chest.

Once they were all out of the room, even Ururu leaving, she pulled the door shut behind her, looking up at Ichigo for a moment before squeezing between the others and disappearing into the shop. Rukia giggled, nudging Ichigo meaningfully in the side. "You want to tell me what's going on between you two?" she whispered, not really trying to keep her voice down as Renji sniggered beside her. The others had already moved on.

Ichigo felt a wave of heat crash over him beginning in his cheeks and working down the rest of him. "Nothing's going on," he grumbled, running a hand through his hair nervously.

"Doesn't look like nothing," Renji argued, folding his arms across his chest and not bothering to hide a wide grin.

His lip curling, Ichigo's hands clenched into fists. "Would you two butt out already?!" He hesitated a moment before hissing, "I'm _trying_ not to fuck this up!"

Rukia was so surprised by his ready admission that she took a step back, stepping on Renji's foot in the process. " _What?!_ " she whisper-shouted right as Renji actually shouted, "Damn it, woman!"

The door Orihime had been behind immediately opened, her shirt askew and untucked from her skirt, her feet bare in her rush to see what the commotion was about. She gasped when she saw the three remaining in the hallway, Renji holding his aching foot, Rukia smirking, and Ichigo awfully red with his hands clenched into fists. "I-is everything okay?" she breathed, her eyes wide as they roved over the others.

Before Rukia could say anything else, Ichigo stepped forward, successfully suppressing the desire to step on _her_ foot. "Everything's fine."

The clip in Ichigo's voice told Orihime not to ask any questions, even though her eyes lingered curiously on the three before her. With a soft nod, she quickly added, "I'll be out in a moment," and disappeared back into the room.

The sight of Orihime dressed and yet disheveled brought Ichigo back to his senses while also sideswiping him. Although he'd seen her a bit of a mess after snowball fights and battles themselves, seeing her a mess because she wasn't _entirely_ dressed was completely different. He suddenly wished Renji and Rukia would just disappear, heat coiling like a sleeping serpent in his belly. Then again, if he _was_ by himself, it might have been even harder – wanting to do something and yet knowing it wasn't the right time. Biting his tongue to return his mind to the present, he rounded on the two soul reapers in front of him once more. "Thanks for bringing my body back." He managed to keep his voice even, the pain in his mouth forcing his other desires from his mind.

Renji smirked, finally catching a glimpse of Ichigo's feelings for the auburn-haired healer that he typically hid so well. While he wanted to tease him, get a rise out of him as they so often did to each other, he also wanted to see the substitute soul reaper succeed, so he kept his brash comments to himself. "Ah, it was nothin'." He left out that Rukia had tracked down the other two when she felt Ichigo and Orihime take off in a different direction, together. The two women were suddenly obsessed with "shipping" Ichigo and Orihime, and any chance to discuss them was not to be wasted, much to the chagrin of Renji and Toshiro.

Orihime popped back out through the door once more a few moments later, her school uniform appropriate with her high stockings covering her bare legs and her puffy white coat already on. She'd pulled her hair back, spinning it into a loose bun at the back of her neck since it was still damp, before covering her head and ears with her white beanie once more. She smiled, bouncing on her toes, when the others looked at her. It took Ichigo a moment to be able to speak, the healthy pink in her cheeks a distraction. Rukia saved him by jumping and exclaiming, "Oh!" before running off down the hallway.

Watching his girlfriend disappear around the corner, Renji's brows drew down in a frown. "I don't understand that woman sometimes."

Ichigo and Orihime could only laugh, quickly smiling in relief when Rukia appeared once more with their backpacks. "We found these with your body, Ichigo." She glared at him. "I can't _believe_ you left them there on the bathroom floor!"

Shrugging, Ichigo's mind raced with how he was going to carry Orihime home with his backpack also on his back. Of course, she didn't know that he had been planning on doing that… "We had little choice."

"Thank you, Rukia-chan!" Orihime beamed, stepping forward to hug the tiny Shinigami before slipping her bag over her shoulder.

Silence descended upon them, and even though he didn't say it, Rukia could read Ichigo's question in his burning eyes. "Well, we've got to discuss some things with Captain Hitsugaya and Urahara." A smile toyed with the corners of her lips as she saw Ichigo relax just the slightest. She'd have to get him for this later. "We'll see you guys later." Her eyes stayed on Orihime. "I'm glad you're all right."

"Thank you!" Orihime's voice was as high and pleasant as ever as they followed the two soul reapers to Urahara's main room, thanking him and the others for their help (Orihime exchanging more than a few gentle hugs) before stepping outside, back into the cold, Ichigo on her heels.

Without the others around, Ichigo felt the same unsettling nervousness taking root high in his belly, as though it couldn't decide whether to flutter in his stomach or constrict his chest and make his heart do odd flips. It had started to snow again, gently, so that the tiny falling flakes resembled silver sparkles dancing through the air. Orihime looked up to the sky at his side, standing at the edge of the shop porch with her face upturned to the falling snowflakes. Her cheeks were still pleasantly pink, her eyes dancing with happiness and contentment as she extended her arms out to her sides. "Isn't it beautiful, Kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo had only glanced at the falling snow around them, the winter wonderland the last thing on his mind as his gaze remained fixed on her. "It's beautiful," he agreed in a quiet whisper, before shaking himself from his reverie once he realized they were talking about completely different things.

' _Nice one, King,'_ his hollow teased. Ichigo stubbornly ignored him. It was getting harder and harder to act "normal" around the auburn-haired healer and he wasn't entirely sure what to do about it.

Orihime missed his jerk back to awareness at her side but turned when he cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Shall we go?" he asked, his voice unusually gruff.

Nodding, Orihime stepped off the porch, her movements stiff and reminiscent of the way the guys had moved after their heavy workout over the weekend. She'd barely gone two steps before Ichigo stopped her, his grip gentle but firm. When she raised her eyes to his, his were dark with concern but a heat behind them made her feel ready to melt in the snow. "I wasn't planning on making you walk, you know," he blurted, his cheeks immediately burning. There really was no other way to say what he needed to say.

Her brow furrowing in confusion, Orihime searched his gaze, unconsciously taking a step closer to him. "What do you mean?" she breathed, not sure why it was so important suddenly to keep her voice low.

Rubbing a hand at the back of his neck, Ichigo averted his eyes. He carried her on his back all the time in Shinigami form, so why was it so different now? It didn't make sense! "I… Well, I-I figured I'd just carry you. It's obvious you're still sore."

Cheeks immediately aflame, Orihime looked at her toes. She _was_ sore, but she was sure he was probably even _more_ so, having still been recovering from his workout before their drawn-out fight with the hollows. "Kurosaki-kun," she started, but he interrupted her.

"I'm not going to take no for an answer, Inoue."

It was a tone she wasn't used to hearing directed at her, but the command brought her eyes back up to his, as she thought back to their argument in the field. She wanted to argue that this was a stupid idea, that she could walk just fine and Ichigo didn't need any further strain, but a larger part of her wanted to feel his hands on her again, to be close to him as _him_ , and not as a Shinigami. _I can't be so selfish,_ she admonished herself, but Ichigo's gentle tug on her arm forced those thoughts from her mind, her gaze falling to his lips without her permission. "Okay," she breathed, closing her eyes and forcing herself to look into his molten chocolate gaze once more.

The smile that broke across Ichigo's lips made her heart soar, and despite her concerns, she knew she'd made the right decision. Without needing to speak, he guided her back to the stairs so she could use them as a step up onto his back. He carefully positioned his bag, slinging it over his shoulder for once so that it would be out of her way, and crouched slightly, resuming their now familiar but still awkward looking dance as she hitched up one leg, then the other as he grasped them and boosted her onto his back before standing upright once more.

Just as she suspected when her mind had wandered on the field, Orihime was painfully aware of his hands on her, of the fact that he _was_ actually touching the bare skin of her thighs and not her stockings, his hands surprisingly warm against her already chilling flesh. "Okay?" he asked, looking at her from over his shoulder.

Wrapping her arms more securely about his shoulders, so that she was practically hugging him, Orihime dropped her head so it rested just beside his and nodded. "Okay," she whispered, a pleasant tingling rippling through her body as she gently nudged the side of his head with her own, much as he'd done to her when they went sledding. Ichigo's quick exhale in a silent chuckle made her grin, quickly tightening her grip in an actual hug before relaxing it. All Ichigo could do in response was nudge her head back and tighten his hands for a moment, squeezing her thighs without really thinking about _what_ he was squeezing, before setting off for her apartment.

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you, Google Translate! Haha. Dupdo = copy in Spanish, at least according to Google. I tried to come up with something original, and since a lot of the Espadas have Spanish-sounding names, I went with this… And once again, Bleach Wikia saved the day with the info within on all the characters of Bleach. As always, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. I just own this story and idea._


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